• by Larissa Faw , April 13, 2018

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) is launching its first major ad campaign in 20 years to reintroduce the museum, following a major building redesign.

Developed with Interpublic Group’s FCB Chicago, the "Made You Look" effort highlights current exhibits and new offerings and experiences (such as Marisol, a restaurant that has been recognized on many “national best” lists) through a series of six-second, high-energy, high-impact videos.

The creative is purposefully fast paced and varied, in part to capture and reflect the energy and excitement at the MCA, as well as to ensure people stop and think (“Made You Look”) about what they are seeing.

The six-second videos and digital were created for "snackable" platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, which will target Chicago-area residents. In addition, ads will appear across high-impact out-of-home and print publications aimed at those in the Windy City.

This campaign invites the public to take a "second, deeper look at the MCA,” says Liz Taylor, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Chicago. “It introduces new and returning visitors to eye-opening experiences in new, immersive spaces that broaden, challenge and strengthen their perspective of art and the human experience at large.”

This launch is in conjunction with the MCA’s first-ever pop-up experience dedicated to the life and work of artist Howardena Pindell, whose retrospective is currently on view at the museum. The exhibit was also created by FCB Chicago.

Called 1979, the pop-up experience takes as its theme the year 1979, which was a pivotal time in Pindell’s life — the year she was involved in a life-threatening car accident and the beginning of a prolific, 50-year career.

The experience takes visitors through a time warp back to 1979, with comics and magazines from the '70s, a Space Invaders game, Instagram wall art and a “tweet typewriter.” Visitors will also be given Polaroid pictures of themselves.