Nicholson NY to Overhaul Site for The Met

Interactive agency Nicholson NY said it has begun work on a redesign and relaunch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Web site for its collections, programs and retail stores.

The redesigned site is slated to launch in the third quarter of 1999. Billings for the project were not disclosed.

The agency, which develops what it calls “Extended-Commerce” solutions for the Internet, said it earned the account in a three-month-long review involving more than a dozen major firms.

Nicholson’s plan focuses on improving the site’s design and functionality–including new e-commerce capabilities–in an effort to reinforce and extend the museum’s brand and mission online. The Met currently has more than two million works of art in its permanent collection, mounts some 30 special exhibitions annually, and last year attracted 5.4 million visitors from around the world.

Nicholson NY will help the Met to maximize revenue through membership and online commerce, and to strengthen existing audience relationships by facilitating information exchange, exploration, membership, and shopping.

The agency will rebuild the online store to better integrate with the Met’s catalog business and with its more than 30 retail stores around the world. Nicholson will be responsible for online merchandising, identifying and targeting customers, driving them to the site and moving them smoothly through each stage of the online shopping process.