On December 14, 2020, Fliggy’s globe-spanning virtual tourism series — which has already spotlit the Louvre, the British Museum, and most recently, London’s Natural History Museum — made a stop at the Centre Pompidou for an interactive livestream tour. Garnering more than two million views, the two-hour event made a guided circuit around the museum’s galleries and rooftop, followed by the requisite exit through the gift shop. It marked the French institution’s first livestreaming effort and a key piece of its China-focused strategy.
Since 2018, the Pompidou has been actively engaging Chinese tourists in its bid to boost its international profile. “We’re very well-recognized in the Europe and U.S. markets, but were shy on the Chinese one,” says Barbara Prieto-Lavault, who heads up International Audience Development at the Centre Pompidou. To that end, the museum launched its Weibo and WeChat accounts, and established a Shanghai outpost, the Centre Pompidou x West Bund Museum project, among other activations.
The livestream opened with an introduction from Serge Lasvignes, President of the Centre Pompidou. Image: Centre Pompidou
And the Pompidou’s not done. As Prieto-Lavault reveals below, the museum’s China outreach remains an ongoing and dynamic endeavor, with plans to grow its presence across digital platforms in the year ahead.
Staying connected with China
“After launching the Shanghai branch, the Centre Pompidou decided to focus its marketing tools on the Chinese market. This is why our Weibo and WeChat accounts were launched two years ago. Last year, we also launched two Mini Programs on WeChat: one that permits users to pay for museum tickets directly with WeChat Pay and the other that replaces the former traditional audio guide. It features masterpieces in the permanent collection, the biggest modern and contemporary art one in Europe — Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky, all the works that were on the livestream — and a Mandarin audio guide.”
Centre Pompidou’s partnership with Fliggy
“We decided to partner with Fliggy after watching their livestream events with the British Museum, Prado, and the Louvre. We saw it as a major opportunity for us to maintain contact with the Chinese public. When we promoted the livestream on WeChat, it gained 4,000 views, one of the top posts on our WeChat.”
The tour featured commentary by a Mandarin-speaking guide and the museum’s staff including Christian Briend, Head of the Modern Art Collection. Image: Centre Pompidou
The livestream tour
“The goal was to give viewers a really personal experience, which is why we decided to feature the big rooftop that is normally closed to the public. It’s the most beautiful view of Paris because you’re in the heart of the capital and you get a 360-degree view. We finished the tour at our boutique because we know that Chinese audiences are very interested in goodies and products from the museum. For this same reason, launching a specific brand license on Chinese market is planned in 2021.”
Initiatives in the pipeline
“We might continue to partner with big companies such as Alibaba to keep a link with the Chinese market. Otherwise, the current Mini Program will be improved with new contents, tools and features in 2021.”
