Dutch Connection: Driving Exhibition Attendance Through Influencer Marketing/UGC Social Ads
How the George Eastman Museum doubled ticket click-throughs and achieved a 12:1 ROI with just $340 in ad spend.
Background
The George Eastman Museum in Rochester, NY is one of the world’s leading museums of photography and film, housed in the historic estate of Eastman Kodak founder George Eastman.
Each winter, the museum hosts Dutch Connection, a beloved exhibition that fills its conservatory and galleries with thousands of flowering bulbs during the coldest weeks of the year. A tradition started by George Eastman himself.
Linden Digital Marketing has been fortunate to partner with the George Eastman Museum to run paid social campaigns promoting Dutch Connection for both the 2025 and 2026 campaigns.
In 2026 our team shifted strategy in a major way: instead of traditional branded ads, nearly all of the ad creative was sourced from local influencer content.
Objectives
- Drive website traffic and ticket sales for the Dutch Connection 2026 exhibition during its February run.
- Maximize results within a modest $500 budget by targeting high-intent local audiences within a 10-mile radius.
- Increase ticket sales by 50% compared to the previous year.
Solution
For the 2026 campaign, Linden tested an influencer-first creative strategy. In 2025, the campaign relied exclusively on content produced by the brand itself. In 2026, we partnered with local influencers with established followings who could deliver trusted, relatable Rochester content. The goal of this influencer marketing campaign was to get the exhibition in front of new audiences at a lower cost.
Influencer content was supplemented with brand-supplied creative, plus original content produced by Linden, including a family-focused campaign featuring kids of the Linden team.
By leveraging influencer marketing content on the same budget as the previous year, we reduced creative costs and doubled ticket sales, delivering a 12:1 ROI for the museum.
The Results.
⚜️
12:1 return on Investment
🎟️
100% increase in ticket sales year over year
❤️
24,310 post engagements, 72% increase year over year
The George Eastman Museum has partnered with Linden Digital Marketing since early 2025 to raise awareness of our exhibitions and events and drive visitation to the museum.
Their work has included content creation and campaign management for initiatives such as our annual flower show, Dutch Connection, which achieved record attendance in 2026.
Linden Digital has been a trusted and collaborative extension of our team. I would recommend Linden Digital to any organization seeking a knowledgeable and results-driven partner.
Danielle Raymo, Communications Manager
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