Minneapolis Egotist: Preston Kelly Is Putting Paisley Park on the Map as a Must-See Destination
This article originally appeared on The Minneapolis Egotist.
When Preston Kelly was minted as agency of record for Paisley Park — Minnesota icon Prince’s creative sanctuary and since 2016, museum — in early 2020, they had no idea what was ahead. Like so many industries, the pandemic has thrown tourism and entertainment for a loop. The agency set out with a goal of putting Paisley Park on the map as a must-see destination for culture, music and the legacy of Prince. Throughout the various restrictions of pandemic times, Paisley Park’s capacity has been reduced and doors have closed and opened.
But the show went on, with Preston Kelly launching its inaugural campaign for the iconic venue in July. Despite closures and limitations, the museum has consistently sold about 70-90% of available tickets. The campaign has also seen incredible engagement from its billboards, with people taking photos and posting online (a rarity in the ad world).
Preston Kelly’s campaign idea — Prince’s vibrant signature purple, impactful lyrics and love as a symbol for all — came together pre-pandemic and ended up being a very relevant, poignant message when we look back at 2020. COVID-19 amped up the necessity for eye-catching work that would inspire people who came across it and build up Paisley Park as the creative sanctuary that Prince imagined.
The campaign will continue through 2021, which will hopefully see increased capacity and the opportunity to invite even more patrons to Paisley Park.
