MANN Napoli taps The Jackal for irreverent social media campaign

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) has launched an unconventional social media campaign featuring the popular Neapolitan comedy group The Jackal. Directed by Paolo Giulierini since 2015, the museum has been recognized for modernizing its image, including being named "best museum of 2017" by Artribune. The campaign, which debuted on March 27, 2018, stars Gianluca Fru, a member of The Jackal, who plays his signature character "Esperto di cose" (Expert of Things). In the video, Fru walks through the museum's galleries, discussing topics like the evolution of human intelligence and referencing the Greek concept of "kalokagathia" (the ideal of goodness and beauty), only to forget whether he locked his car. The humorous sketch aims to make ancient art accessible and relatable, particularly targeting audiences aged 18-30. Within two days, the video garnered approximately 900,000 views, 6,500 shares, and 30,000 reactions on Facebook. Director Giulierini emphasized that irony has roots in Greek comedy and serves to humanize culture. The campaign represents a broader effort by MANN to engage younger audiences through digital platforms.