Attracting Millennials to the arts isn’t the easiest thing in the world. What worked with the Greatest Generation hasn’t worked with Boomers or Millennials.

This summer, Coca-Cola put names on the bottles (common first names for those born in the 80s and 90s). Then, a Coke turned into something about “me.”

Look what I’m drinking… it’s me!

We’ve also seen hundreds of bucket challenges to support ALS research, which is great. The product sold in the videos is “me.”

Look what I’m using to do good in the world… it’s me!

Marketing the transformative experience of the arts works best when it’s about “me.”

Look at that amazing artwork/ballet/opera/play/musical… it’s me!

If you can make the experience about the patron (not for the patron), you’ll have a fan for life.

Or at least until the next big thing.