IWM North | February 2012 – September 2012

Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children

Through the sponsorship of the Imperial War Museum North’s (IWM North) latest special exhibition, Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children, we would like to work in partnership and offer you the opportunity to:

– Communicate your brand’s key messages and secure press coverage

– Be actively involved in learning activities and family-friendly events

– Enable you and your guests to entertain in a thriving museum environment in Manchester

– Align your brand with the Imperial War Museum, one of the most respected museums in the world

The Offer

Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children delves into the pages of cherished books, bringing stories of war dramatically to life. This family-friendly exhibition at IWM North takes a fresh and engaging look at five of the best-loved books written for children about conflict – War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden, The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall and Little Soldier by Bernard Ashley.

Through the use of life size settings, families are invited to enter the imaginary worlds of these classic war stories. From bleak landscapes of no man’s land in War Horse to the imposing tower blocks of London gang warfare in Little Soldier, Once Upon A Wartime will take visitors on a journey through conflicts from the First World War to the present day.

The Exhibition

Right: Images of the exhibition while on display at IWM London in 2010

The exhibition explores the themes of loyalty, separation, excitement, survival and identity throughout the books and then goes behind the scene of each story, explaining the author’s inspiration through interesting and sometime unseen items including manuscripts, early sketches, interviews and photographs.

Above: Images of the exhibition while on display at IWM London in 2010

Learning Activities and Family-friendly Events

A programme of learning activities and family-friendly events will complement the exhibition, including trails and quizzes, workshops, themed visits for schools and colleges, a ‘writer-in-residence’ project with a local primary school and a range of public events for children and adults.

IWM North is one of the organisations working with Manchester Metopolitan University to deliver the Manchester Children’s Book Festival 2012, under the creative direction of Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

In June 2012 IWM North will offer an extended schools programme, which will include some pre-festival writer events and workshops in schools.

As a sponsor you will not only be supporting the important role the Museum plays with young people in the community, you will be actively involved in our work and raising the profile of your brand.

Families exploring the exhibition at IWM London

Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children will be shown in a landmark building that is itself a visionary symbol of the effects of war. IWM North was designed by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind to represent a world shattered by conflict. The Museum’s Special Exhibitions Gallery is an extraordinary and compelling space, unrivalled in the UK. It is one of the largest temporary exhibition galleries in the country with two aluminium-clad walls that pierce the exhibition space, and a ceiling that plummets in one corner and swoops upward in another.

Location

Special Exhibitions Gallery, IWM North Exhibition Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin

The Audience

Free entry to the exhibition.

The exhibition is expected to draw over 150,000 visitors.

The expected audience for Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children:

Learning Families

This family segment is primarily driven by a desire to educate their children, broadening their knowledge and life experiences.

‘To think about how I might teach my daughter about conflict and its impact on our lives.’

Empathisers

These visitors want to have an experience that is emotional or spiritual. Their personal connection to the subject tends to be just that.

‘Have more of an understanding of what my grandparents did in the war.’

The exhibition marketing campaign and visitor programme activities will also target young adults (16–24 year olds), primary school pupils and secondary school pupils.

An opportunity for partnership with the Imperial War Museum North

IWM North is offering a significant sponsorship opportunity with a range of bespoke benefits that will engage your brand with a family audience. The Museum’s development team is experienced at working creatively with corporate partners and has a flexible approach to sponsorship; making sure individual objectives are fully met.

The Museum offers a bespoke benefits package, which includes:

– Crediting and brand alignment

– Involvement in the communications campaign

– Exclusive events for your clients

– Naming rights to events and activities

Crediting and Brand Alignment

The real value of sponsoring Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children is not just connecting your brand with the people who come through the doors; it is the connection your brand will make with the many more thousands of people it touches through the marketing campaign.

– Logo used on all exhibition publicity material including e-marketing and outdoor advertising

– Logo on IWM North website

– Onsite branding for the duration of the exhibition

– Naming rights to exclusive events and activities

Outdoor campaign at Piccadilly Metro Station. Nearly 21 million journeys are made on train services in Greater Manchester every year – around 57,000 a day

Case Study

IWM North produced the largest ever UK exhibition about the life and work of Don McCullin, one of the world’s most acclaimed photographers. Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin was supported by John Jones, Hamiltons Gallery, The Times newspaper and private donors.

An extensive marketing campaign included rail and road outdoor advertising, ambient print distribution, online promotion and a social media campaign.

Shaped by War was the most successful exhibition ever for IWM North in terms of press coverage. More than 360 pieces of press coverage were generated, with a total advertising value equivalent to £1.3 million and a total circulation/opportunities to see of 125.5 million.

The exhibition received extensive coverage regionally, nationally and internationally. It was in reported in every national English broadsheet newspaper and on BBC Radio 4’s The Today Programme, the BBC One O’Clock and Six O’Clock News, BBC2’s The Review Show, BBC News 24 and BBC World News America. Regional press included Manchester Evening News, The Big Issue and the Lancashire Evening Post. Online and social media included The Today Programme slide show, the BBC website (140,000 hits), lead picture on the BBC homepage, and video on www.guardian.co.uk. The exhibition was the most talked-about subject on Twitter one day shortly before the opening.

As part of their benefits package our exhibition supporters enjoyed a VIP Preview and champagne reception in the Main Exhibition Space at IWM North that included exclusive access to the Shaped by War exhibition for their VIP guests to enjoy.

Left: Art collector and model Yasmin Le Bon opened Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin, and joined VIP guests for an exclusive after-preview dinner.

Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin, February – June 2010

Involvement in the Press Campaign

The Imperial War Museum North has a proven track record of securing significant amounts of publicity for its exhibitions, and experience of working with key media partners.

As a sponsor you will:

– Be offered the opportunity to invite key press and media targets to the press preview for the exhibition

– Work with the Museum’s press team, to secure coverage and communicate your brand’s key messages

As a sponsor you will be at the heart of the exhibition launch event and you will be given the opportunity to speak alongside our opening speaker.

Other bespoke entertainment opportunities include:

– Complimentary invitations to the launch event

– Complimentary invitations to exhibition associated events

– Complimentary and discounted hire of IWM North

– Private curator led tours of the exhibition

Exclusive Hospitality

Top: Dinner in the Main Exhibition Space Bottom: Private drinks reception under a suspended Harrier Jump Jet

IWM North receives 240,000 visitors each year and since it opened in 2002 the Museum has welcomed over 1.5 million people from across the region and beyond. Through its exhibitions, displays, Big Picture Show (360 degree, immersive audio-visual experience) and visitor programmes the Museum aims to enrich people’s understanding of the causes, course and consequences of modern war and its impact on individuals and society.

Imperial War Museum North was awarded Silver at the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2010.

About the Imperial War Museum

Sponsorship Levels

Exclusive sponsorship in the region of £15,000

Joint sponsorship in the region of £10,000 +vat

Exhibition partner in the region of £5,000 +vat

Russell MillerHead of Business DevelopmentImperial War Museum North0161 836 4043rmiller@iwm.org.uk