Frontiers of Flight Museum Case Study

Project Description

Museum Brand Development, Marketing and Event Program

The Frontiers of Flight Museum is a nationally-recognized aviation and space flight museum and a Smithsonian Affiliate. Its mission is to educate, motivate and inspire by presenting aviation and space flight history and innovation through comprehensive exhibits, collections, programming and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) curriculum.

The rebranding and marketing of the Frontiers of Flight Museum as an educational institution included planning and marketing events that integrated fundraising goals and expanding the audience reach to a state and national level.

Dickie+Associates was commissioned to rebrand the museum and develop the marketing strategy and the strategic planning of events for educational program recognition and outreach, special events, speaker events, traveling exhibitions, and fundraising events, including the annual galas. We utilized an integrated approach that included print and digital marketing, advertising, social media, event production and marketing, video production and marketing, partner and sponsorship development, and public and media relations strategy.

The integrated marketing strategy resulted in increasing audience awareness and the award of multiple educational grants that, combined with fundraising events, provided the funding for enhanced educational programs and expanded educational staffing. Our efforts helped grow the STEM education program from a few thousand to over 18,000. In the course of our work, we developed several partnerships and sponsorships for media, advertising, and print, and developed multiple marketing videos.

Dirty 1/2 Dozen Event Video

Tongue-in-cheek video produced by Dickie+Associates for the Frontiers of Flight Museum annual fundraising gala and featuring a special operations team on a covert mission to congratulate honoree Sean Donohue, President and CEO of Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport. Cameos appearances include Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Mike Moncrief, Mark Duebner, Bill Thornton, Sam Coats, Dale Petroskey, Lillie Biggins, and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.

The special ops team is portrayed by the Liberty Jump Team, a WWII military style exhibition parachute group and features Gary Bostic, Kyle Clark, Tracy Huff, Justin Ivie, Karl Johnson, David McDonald, with casting and coordination by DZSO/Logistics Coordinator Jil Launay.

Immediately following the showing of the video, the audience heard the sound of an approaching helicopter and saw the “landing” of honoree Sean Donohue arriving in the museum’s Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter and escorted to stage by the Liberty Jump Team.

View the video

Space, a Documentary Film

Dickie+Associates was commissioned by the Museum to produce a short documentary film about the U.S. Space Program and honoring the leadership of Congressman Ralph Hall, 4th District of Texas, who served on and chaired the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and in recognition of his dedicated advocacy of science, space and aviation.

The documentary film, “Space,” explores the history of the U.S. Space Program, from the early days of the Gemini and Apollo Missions to the research and development currently being done on the International Space Station. Three NASA astronauts share personal and often poetic accounts of the space program’s challenges and achievements during Congressman Hall’s thirty year tenure on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

The film features appearances by NASA Astronauts Col. Walter Cunningham, Apollo VII, Col. Tom Henricks, STS-44, STS-55, STS-70, STS-78, and Mary Ellen Weber, STS-70, STS-101, along with museum STEM students.

“Space” was produced by Dickie+Associates. Executive Producer: Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones. Producer: Lonely Standard. Director and Scriptwriter: Wheeler Sparks. Original Score: Jacob Metcalf.

View the documentary

Project Details

• Scope of WorkIntegrated Marketing Communications Planning • Project Management • Market and Audience Research • Marketing Strategy • Public Relations Strategy • Strategic Communications • Sponsorship and Partnership Development • Stakeholder/Donor Engagement • Focus Group Management • Survey Development and Analysis • Creative Direction • Brand Development • Brand Marketing • Digital Marketing • Video Marketing • Event Planning • Video Production • Advertising • Copywriting • Graphic Design
• ClientFrontiers of Flight Museum
• CollaboratorsJeremy Clardy, Ezra Gentle, Andrew Hajek, Judy Kelly Productions, Liberty Jump Team, Wheeler Sparks