Marketing Wright

The Wright kind of tourism

Wright on the Lake. The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Graycliff, a house museum in Derby, NY, was nearly sold and razed in 1998. A dedicated group of grassroots organizers was able to purchase the property and started the decades-long process of restoration to its early 1930s year of significance. The restoration has drastically improved the historic site—and tourist numbers have increased slightly each year, but their marketing materials hadn’t. Still looking like a grassroots organization, Graycliff now competes with other area Wright sites (a good problem!) as well as other tourist destinations all fighting for visitors’ attention.

Result Updating design and production from one- and two-color collateral, reconsidering the mix of print advertising, increasing the use of web advertising and social media, redesigning membership materials, newsletters, and an annual fund has raised Graycliff’s profile.

Results? JCharlier provided the Wright stuff for getting more than 10,000 annual visitors in the doors for the first time ever!

Jim Charlier served as a Graycliff board vice president and Chair of its Marketing Committee from 2012-2018.