Viral One-Star Review Transforms New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Merchandise Sales by 250%

The New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts has experienced an unexpected commercial boom after transforming a negative Google review into a successful merchandise line. The institution, which focuses on whaling history, science and art rather than marine life exhibits, seized upon a one-star review from 2020 that mistakenly labeled it the “worst aquarium ever.” Museum staff converted the phrase into a marketing opportunity last fall, producing T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags featuring the review.

Sales for the merchandise line surged 250 percent within a single week after gaining national media coverage, according to reporting by The Associated Press. The products display the critical review on the back and a whale skeleton on the front, creating a humorous nod to the reviewer’s apparent confusion about the museum’s actual purpose. National news outlets subsequently featured the items, expanding awareness of both the merchandise and the institution itself.

Amanda McMullen, president and chief executive officer of the museum, attributed the success to willingness to take a creative risk with the concept. “They took a chance on something, and it obviously hit,” McMullen told the AP. Annelise Conway, the museum’s chief engagement officer, emphasized that the decision reflected the institution’s genuine character rather than calculated strategy, noting that staff members actively model and sell the merchandise themselves.

Adding to the situation’s irony, the museum opened a 250-gallon saltwater tank earlier this year containing local marine species including blue crabs, sea stars and northern puffer fish, developed through collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology. The tongue-in-cheek merchandise line has resonated strongly with social media users, who commended the museum for embracing humor rather than dismissing the critical review.