When it comes to learning about frontier heritage, you can always trust a guy in a cowboy hat and a bolo tie.
That’s why when the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum had to close their doors, they decided it was time to hand over the reins to the one essential person whose job it was to hang back and watch over the place: their director of security, Tim.
Hello, my name is Tim and I am the head of security for The Cowboy. I have been asked to take on the additional duty of social media management while the museum is closed. I’m new to this but excited. My team will also continue to protect and monitor the museum. Thanks, Tim Send
— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) March 17, 2020
And that’s how #HashtagtheCowboy was born.
The museum's chief marketing officer, Seth Spillman, now otherwise known on Twitter as “Seth from marketing,” said the decision came out of the idea that social media is about people, not logos. Tim was the perfect person to take over their accounts and bring the exhibits to the fans who had to stay home.
Seth from Marketing said it's Throwbackwards Thursday for Travel and Tourism Week. Share some of your photos visiting The Cowboy and I’ll retweet! Here’s John Wayne leading a parade to our grand opening in '65. @VisitOKC #SeeOKC #SpiritofTravel #HashtagTheCowboy Thanks, Tim
— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) May 7, 2020
When the team came to him with the idea, he told them he was on board: “Anything for the museum I love.”
Tim’s delightfully genuine, deadpan, often dad joke-like humor has been a boon for the museum’s social accounts, which within days have experienced record growth (over 3,000 percent increase in followers on Twitter alone, in addition to dramatic spikes on Instagram and Facebook.) They received global exposure after catching the attention of Sarah Silverman and Toby Keith, among other celebrities.
Morning! Here, kitty kitty. Do you want some coffee? Her name is the Canyon Princess by Gerald Balciar. Don’t think she likes coffee. Probably because she’s a sculpture. #HashtagTheCowboy Thanks, Tim
— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) April 1, 2020
While time will tell if this huge growth in interest and engagement with their brand will actually translate to visitors when their doors begin to open, they’re feeling confident.
And they should be! They’ve successfully brought a true human face to the museum, and that’s a marketing advantage that’s worth its weight in gold.
Catch more of the conversation on this week’s Layover Live.
