Is it better to ask for permission or forgiveness? That's the question that Beyoncé and her team should be asking themselves after their latest viral stunt. The pop star turned country singer certainly made a splash with her viral ads. The singer promoted her album by shining advertisements for her album Cowboy Carter on the sides of New York City museums.
The only issue? Beyoncé didn't ask permission to do so. In messages to the New York Post, several museums complained about the marketing stunt, saying the singer didn't inform them.
The Guggenheim Museum stated that it "was not informed about and did not authorize this activation. However, we invite the public — including Beyoncé and her devoted fans — to visit the museum May 16-20 when we present projections by artist Jenny Holzer on the facade of our iconic building to celebrate the opening of her major exhibition."
Likewise, The Museum of Art and Design also told a similar story, although the institution was a little more positive. Operators said, "[We're] thrilled to see Beyoncé shining a light on the importance of museums in the cultural landscape." Likewise, The Whitney Museum expressed surprise at the display but wished "well with her album," saying it looked "forward to seeing her at the Whitney Biennial soon."
Beyoncé's Latest Stunt Makes Headlines
For supporters, Beyoncé exists in a style class of all her own, so the museum stunt is just the latest in a long line of the singer doing as she pleases. For critics, Beyoncé is raging war on country music. Of course, there's others who probably don't care either way. In a previous, Instagram post, Beyoncé explained that her new album developed due to backlash she received in the country music industry. Specifically, she shaded the 2016 CMAs.
She wrote on Instagram "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed...and it was very clear that I wasn't. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history."
She continued, "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
