In a world where 47% of 15 to 24-year-olds, also known as Generation Z, use TikTok and 82% use Instagram at least occasionally, museums face a real challenge: how can they win over this generation and arouse their interest in what museums have to offer? It is particularly difficult for museums like the Finance Museum, whose topics are often seen as dusty and dry at first glance. "For us as a financial museum, this inhibition threshold is even higher," says Andrea Weidemann, Head of the Swiss Finance Museum.
By young people for young people
Museums need to develop creative solutions to physically attract the young generation, who spend a lot of time online, into their spaces. A target group-oriented approach is crucial here. We at the Finance Museum have developed an innovative method to appeal to young people: We deliver our financial education content via TikTok in an entertaining way, adapting to the platform's trending topics and humor.
In order to create age-appropriate content, the Finance Museum's TikTok channel is managed independently by apprentices according to the motto "by young people for young people". "This approach led to an impressive 134% increase in visits among 13 to 18-year-olds in 2023 compared to the previous year," explains Weidemann. The posts take into account the language, interests and needs of the younger generation and are written in Swiss German.
Finance Museum on TikTok
With our videos, we want to give young people an understanding of the world of finance and our museum. Most of the videos are specifically for young people in apprenticeships so that they can relate to us. However, we don't just make videos in which we explain something, but also videos that pick up on Tiktok's trends and link them to the everyday lives of our trainees.
Success confirms the approach
The success of the channel is not only reflected in the rising visitor numbers. In September 2023, the Finance Museum won silver in the "Marketing to Youth" category at the Digital Communication Awards, behind BMW Motorrad. Six months later, in May 2024, the museum won the DigAMus Award in the "Social Media Campaign" category for its social media campaign on TikTok. This success is all the more remarkable given that the project was realized without an agency and with zero budget.
The example of the Finance Museum shows that even seemingly dry topics can inspire young people if they are presented in the right way. "One approach could be the one we chose, which is to communicate 'by young people for young people'," advises Weidemann. Alternatively, it helps to mirror the content with focus groups or young employees and question whether it is really suitable and interesting for the target group. Social media and the digital space offer numerous opportunities. A museum's digital presence must be adapted to the young generation and take their wishes and needs into account.
DigAMus award
The DigAMus Award honors particularly successful digital museum offerings in German-speaking countries. This includes all offers that are aimed at museum visitors and use digital or hybrid (digital & analog) communication tools.
The Swiss Finance Museum won in the Social Media Campaigns category.
The jury explained its choice as follows:
"The DigAMus Award 2024 in the Social Media category went to the Swiss Finance Museum for its Tik-Tok series. The refreshing and playful way of communicating complex topics and the courage to place responsibility in the hands of trainees were particularly highlighted. The museum has thus succeeded in reaching Gen Z and increasing visitor numbers in this age category. "