Ask a handful of students what the building across South Street from Franklin Field is called, and you will likely receive a variety of responses -- the Penn Museum, the University Museum, the University of Pennsylvania Museum. It is likely that few would be able to name it correctly -- the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
The museum is caught up in a problem where it finds itself lacking a public name that the average person can refer to.
That's why the museum is trying to find a new brand image.
"Rebranding is the right word for what we are doing," says Richard Leventhal, museum director. "We are not trying to change who we are. We want to continue to emphasize that we are part of the University of Pennsylvania -- it is an important part of our persona."
The museum, which attracts slightly over 180,000 visitors annually -- approximately 10-20 percent of whom are Penn students -- will maintain its official name. It houses three floors of exhibitions and holds nearly a million artifacts from all over the world.
According to Steve Hoch, Professor and Chairperson of Marketing of the Wharton School, rebranding implies "excess baggage."
"You have to get rid of your excess baggage to take on a new persona," he said.
According to Hoch, the problem the museum is facing is common among other university museums. It is an educational institution, fostering a great deal of research, but also must compete against museums that are able to focus solely on attracting visitors.
"The University's mission is not to run an amusement park," he said.
Leventhal says that the rebranding proposition is part of University President Amy Gutmann's overall vision for the University, which includes increasing funding and interdisciplinary study, and improving Penn's interaction with the local and international community.
They haven't yet settled on a name.
Museum spokeswoman Pam Kosty says that the goal of this plan is to create a synergy between the museum's research and its function as a public institution.
"We want the dynamism to show through," she said.
The project is being run by a branding committee that includes museum staff, board of overseers and volunteers. The museum has also partnered up with advertising agency Kanter International.
According to Mark Stuart, executive vice president and chief business strategist of Kanter International, the process of rebranding is very sequential. However, they will come up with a new logo and tag line by October.
Wharton sophomore Myra Deshmukh, who works at the museum, feels that the institution can be a truly valuable resource for many students.
"There are so many different events that go on," she said. "It appeals to the diverse crowd at Penn."
While the museum is also undergoing some renovations, Leventhal stressed that there is more to this project than just finding a new brand for the museum.
"In the long term, I expect it to be a museum of the 21st century that combines ongoing and active research about human societies, with the presentation to the public of the interpretations and ideas that are relevant in today's world," he said.
"I don't want it to be a hidden treasure," said Leventhal, referring to the museum's reputation as Philadelphia's secret treasure. "I just want it to be a treasure."
