The MUSMCC welcomes Javier Sainz de los Terreros for an inspiring session on digital strategy, community, and cultural communication
What do Rosalía, Shakira, and the Prado Museum have in common? At first glance, not much. However, they are all part of conversations that millions of people follow, share, and comment on social media. Building on this very idea, Javier Sainz de los Terreros led an enlightening session for students in the Master’s Program in Social Media and Corporate Communication at the Polytechnic University of Valencia on how to build a digital strategy that is relevant, authentic, and connected to audiences.
During the session, Javier showed how the Prado Museum has become an international leader in digital communication without compromising its identity. Rather than giving in to the temptation to jump on every trend or use viral language, the museum has managed to find its own voice, consistent with its mission and values. As the speaker explained, an institution like the Prado cannot communicate just any old way. It would make no sense for it to try to imitate the tone of certain content creators or post messages that are disconnected from its personality. The key is to be recognizable, authentic, and relevant without losing its essence.
Throughout the talk, the students learned how the Prado has managed to build a loyal community spread across the globe. Many of the people who follow its social media profiles may never have physically visited the museum, but they feel a connection to the institution, are familiar with its collections, participate in conversations, and are part of a global community united by a shared interest in art and culture.
One of the most interesting aspects of the session was learning how the museum has highlighted the people who make it possible every day. Restorers, curators, researchers, technical staff, and other professionals have found a place on the Prado’s social media platforms, humanizing the institution and bringing their work closer to the public. In this way, the museum communicates not only works of art, but also knowledge, stories, and people.
The presentation also addressed key issues for any digital communications professional: community management, brand building, defining a communication style, identifying audiences, and the importance of maintaining a consistent long-term strategy. Beyond tools or platforms, Javier emphasized that the true competitive advantage lies in finding one’s own voice and building meaningful relationships with the community.
The session generated a great deal of interest among MUSMCC students, who spoke very highly of both the content presented and the speaker’s approachability, as well as the opportunity to learn about real-life cases from one of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions.
On behalf of MUSMCC, we would like to thank Javier Sainz de los Terreros for his generosity in sharing his experiences, lessons learned, and reflections with our students. We hope to have him join us again in future editions of the master’s program so we can continue learning from a success story that demonstrates that, on social media, authenticity and consistency remain the best strategy.
