• by Fern Siegel , March 20, 2024

Andy Warhol made his name in New York. But the wild child of the 1960s grew up in Pittsburgh. The Andy Warhol Museum not only houses his legacy on the city's North Side, but exhibits work of other artists that resonate with his.

To celebrate the museum's 30th's anniversary, BarkleyOKRP launched a new brand campaign.

The cross-platform “It’s Not Just Art, It’s an Experience” runs on social (Facebook, Instagram), digital programmatic banners, and print throughout Pittsburgh and surrounding markets within a five-hour drive of the museum. The work positions The Andy Warhol Museum as a place to appreciate the artist and his ongoing relevance.

Along with New York-based fashion photographer James Emmerman, the agency showcases the museum's collection of Warhol art and archives. The ads feature photographs of models posing in front of iconic Warhol pieces: “Skull,” “The Last Supper,” “Silver Clouds” and “Andy Warhol on the Red Couch.”

The anniversary campaign will run all year.

“When digging into this project, we asked ourselves, ‘If Andy were to promote the museum, how would he do it?’ So we embraced his love of fashion, fantasy and multimedia, high and low culture, creating images that presented The Warhol as an immersive experience that will blow you away,” said Cathy Bowen, creative director at BarkleyOKRP.

The museum's upcoming "KAWS + Warhol," debuting May 18, examines the dark themes, as well as pop-culture references — present in the work of both artists. Warhol’s celebrated Brillo boxes and Campbell's Soup, while KAWS often places his characters into packaging for cereal.

Independent agencies Barkley and OKRP merged earlier this month, with offices in Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, New York and Pittsburgh. BarkleyOKRP’s combined client roster now includes Metro by T-Mobile, Burger King, Planet Fitness, Motel 6, Premier Protein and AMC.