At the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the most important thing we create is audience. In addition to a commitment to our members and visitors from across the globe, we are broadening our reach to engage new audiences. Membership plays a key role in this effort, and the MFA seeks to create meaningful invitations into the program that can lead to long-lasting relationships.

With a renewed focus on developing programming and offerings for creative professionals, the MFA launched a six-month trial membership called the “XPass”. Our goals were to better understand the motivations of a younger audience demographic, their behaviors within a loyalty program, and test strategies for acquisition, engagement, and upsell into general membership.  

The XPass was made to look and feel different. Instead of offering six months of our traditional membership, the XPass was designed to complement the MFA’s headline exhibition, “Taskashi Murkami: Lineage of Eccentrics.” For $40 for one person or $55 for two, XPass holders received six months of free admission from October 1 to April 1, 2017 (same length as the exhibition), a free ticket to two MFA Late Nites (a series of after-hours parties featuring music, performances, food and drink throughout the galleries), discounts to Murakami focused activities, and 10% discount in the Murakami Exhibition Gift Shop. Instead of using MFA Membership branding, the XPass was given a unique graphic identity that highlighted its tie with the Murakami exhibition. The XPass was a digital membership, delivered through email with a unique QR code that acted as the Member ID.

Marketed as “a taste of membership”, the XPass allowed for a highly targeted, curated approach to outreach and engagement. Its launch coincided with the marketing campaigns for Murakami and MFA Late Nites. For both efforts, messaging for XPass was integrated into the advertising, social media, and PR efforts. Advertising was targeted specifically to millennials and was included in traditional member communications. As a result, 650 XPasses were sold during the six month period and 59% of XPass holders were households that had not previously been affiliated with the Museum. This group also signaled an uptick in target audience demographics: 27% identified as a practicing artist or professional in the creative industry and 61% identified below the age of 45 (compared to 11% in general membership).

After the launch, strategies shifted from acquisition to engagement. XPass holders were suppressed from traditional member communications, receiving messages that highlighted specific XPass offerings instead. What we found was surprising: average email engagement for XPass holders was 5-10% higher than general members, but did not yield a high response to Murakami focused activities. Instead, we saw higher interest and engagement with the Museum as a whole. 89% of XPass holders visited after purchasing an XPass, with 46% attending an MFA Late Nite and 51% visiting the galleries. In addition, surveyed XPass holders identified as free admission to the Museum as their primary reason for joining. This was confirmed through visitation, as XPass holders visited the Museum an average 2.35 times, slightly above general members. We also learned they wanted and expected full membership benefits as part of their investment, as they wanted to engage with more than just the Murakami exhibition. 

Starting in February 2018, Membership began 4-tier email sequence to upsell XPass holders into general membership. The goals were to test effectiveness of messaging, sequence of offers, and timed urgency. The first ask was a straight appeal with no additional benefits offered; the second and most successful appeal offered a free ticket to MFA Late Nites; the third appeal was a “Season Preview” highlighting the upcoming year of exhibitions; the fourth announced new benefits including discounts and presale for select high profile events.  To date, 7% – 41 XPass holders – have converted to MFA members, 62% having no previous membership history.  While we usually expect a higher conversion in our general membership base, these metrics prove promising that a full year investment may be able to hold appeal. Looking toward the coming year, Membership will shift upsells to be around exhibitions expected to hold strong appeal with a younger demographic.    

As the MFA explores new loyalty programs and strategies to reach creative professionals, the XPass initiative will continue to inform and inspire. As a whole, XPass holders proved to be a highly engaged group – just not in the way we thought they would be. And while popular exhibitions and events will always be key acquisition drivers, it’s equally important to think about how membership speaks to an audiences’ values – and those values may be more universal than you think.