USS Hornet: From Past to Present for the Future
Project Overview
The presentation focused on marketing recommendations for the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation. The proposed strategies aimed to enhance awareness, boost attendance, foster community engagement, and create long-term revenue opportunities. The presentation includes a project overview, client details, identified challenges, suggested solutions, anticipated results, and an image gallery.
Image Gallery
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I’ve put together several marketing recommendations designed to increase awareness, attendance, community engagement, and long-term revenue opportunities for the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation. 
The Hornet occupies a unique position at the intersection of military history, naval aviation, and space exploration. My recommendations build on the foundation’s existing mission by finding new ways to educate visitors and connect future generations to that history. 
These ideas are designed to support the Hornet’s core values. Preserving the ship and honoring those who served remain the top priorities, while also expanding the museum’s role as an educational and community resource. 
I grouped my recommendations into four areas: modernizing the digital experience, creating a mobile app, building strategic partnerships, and expanding the Hornet’s role as a community venue. Together, these initiatives can increase visibility, attendance, and revenue. 
The current website could benefit from a more modern design and improved navigation. A refreshed site would make information easier to find and better align with the expectations of today’s visitors, especially in the Bay Area’s technology-focused environment. 
Search visibility is critical. While the Hornet performs well in some search engines, competition from other organizations and brands using the same name limits discoverability. 
Improving search rankings is only part of the challenge. The Hornet should also have a stronger presence in image search results, since visual content often drives visitor engagement. 
Because ‘Hornet’ is such a competitive search term, a long-term SEO and SEM strategy is essential. The goal is to ensure that the museum appears prominently whenever someone searches for related topics. 
A mobile app could enhance the visitor experience while also reducing operational demands. Features such as guided tours, games, educational tools, and visitor analytics would create value for both guests and the foundation. 
The app could provide GPS-guided tours, interactive historical content, and gamified experiences like scavenger hunts and trivia. Social sharing features would encourage visitors to promote the museum organically. 
The Hornet has the opportunity to become more than a museum. By partnering with organizations across the armed services community, it can establish itself as a regional destination for military history and education. 
One potential revenue stream is leasing office space to military recruiting organizations. These partnerships could generate income while also increasing visitor traffic and strengthening relationships with service members and veterans. 
Hosting public figures, speakers, and fundraisers aboard the Hornet would increase visibility and reinforce the ship’s status as an important civic and cultural landmark. 
The Hornet could expand its audience by hosting events such as fun runs, career fairs, naturalization ceremonies, and family activities. Dedicated social media campaigns would help build awareness and community participation. 
The Hornet already has a strong social media foundation. Expanding into video content, particularly through interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and visitor submissions, would deepen engagement and broaden reach. 
These recommendations represent a starting point for increasing the Hornet’s visibility, attendance, and financial sustainability. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss any of these ideas further and explore how they could support the foundation’s long-term goals.
Outcome
I shared this presentation with the hiring team at the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation as an example of how I approach marketing, communications, and brand strategy. While it did not lead to a conversation, I believe that demonstrating initiative and strategic thinking is often the best way to show the value a communications leader can bring to an organization.
Creating projects like this allows me to stay current, refine my skills, and continue developing ideas that drive engagement, strengthen brands, and support organizational growth.
If your organization is hiring for marketing, communications, or brand management roles, or if you know someone who is, I’d welcome the opportunity to connect and discuss how my experience could help advance your goals.
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