Brett Bertolino, Vice President and Director of Operations of Terror Behind the Walls and The Eastern State Penitentiary, talks with Americus on this special Halloween edition of Marketing Matters about the strategies behind marketing both a non-profit museum and a haunted attraction at the same location.

During the day the Eastern State Penitentiary serves as a national prison museum catering mostly to tourists, but at night it transforms into Terror Behind the Walls, a massive haunted house that draws in local thrill seekers. Brett notes one of the struggles is to ensure both brands are marketed separately in that they have distinct messaging and look and feel, but also draws visitors in to both events, as Brett deems a “day/night double header”.

Brett prides both brands on providing a great visitor experience. Americus and Brett conclude by discussing how the museum and the haunted house ensures the experience is delivered consistently from what is messaged.

Brett replies that is all about staffing. It’s about hiring great people who have amazing attitudes and want to work with people. Extensive training is also a big key. He notes that all his staff, regardless of their role, must attend the museum events, and must work at least 1.5 days at the museum. He also empowers them to elevate the guest experience if deemed necessary without manger involvement. His goal is to make sure their guests feel welcome, even though it’s a scary environment.

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