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3. <br /> <br />Boards, Commissions and Task Force minutes <br />4. <br />Other Discussions/Business <br /> Marketing of University City - requested by Councilmembers Jennings and Glickert <br /> <br /> Mr. Jennings stated that it is difficult to attract new residents and businesses in a crowded market <br />and it has become an even greater challenge with the recent events in Ferguson. As a result, <br />University City and other communities with a large percentage of African-Americans have been <br />lumped together with Ferguson and it has been assumed that University City shares some of the <br />same challenges that can be found in Ferguson. He stated that University City does have a story to <br />tell, and he has discussed this with Mr. Walker in order to determine what needs to be done to get <br />this story out. <br /> <br /> Many police departments do not reflect the makeup of their community, but University City is not <br />one of them. <br /> <br /> Many communities derive a huge portion of their revenue from traffic and property maintenance <br />citations, but University City is not one of them. <br /> <br /> University City has a diverse population with a thriving business community <br /> <br /> University City has a balanced budget <br /> <br /> University City has made significant improvements to its infrastructure, which will soon include <br />Gigabyte Wi-Fi and the Loop Trolley <br />Mr. Jennings moved that City Council direct the City Manager to implement the marketing and branding <br />strategy recommended by the City’s marketing team in 2011, and that he be allowed to move forward as <br />quickly as possible to get the good news out about University City and was seconded by Mr. Glickert. <br /> <br />Dr. Carr asked Mr. Jennings if he could state specifically what he was asking Council to do. Mr. Jennings <br />stated that he was asking Council to direct the City Manager to utilize the marketing and branding <br />strategy that was recommended in 2011 to promote some of the positive accomplishments the City has <br />made. Dr. Carr asked Mr. Jennings if he was referring specifically to the Neighborhood to the World <br />graphic and he replied that he was talking about the marketing and branding strategy as a whole. <br /> Dr. Carr posed the following questions to Mr. Walker: <br />1. What is your impression of the City’s current marketing efforts? Mr. Walker stated that he <br />believes that the City has made considerable progress with respect to marketing over the past <br />three or four years. <br />2. What does the City’s message entail? Mr. Walker stated that staff has developed marketing <br />materials which have been distributed to Council City from time to time, but what continues to be <br />advanced is that University City is a very positive environment for businesses and residents to <br />locate and that it provides efficient and expeditious service with respect to the issuance of permits <br />and inspections. <br />3. Does this strategy incorporate the “New You Campaign”? Mr. Walker stated that he was not <br />familiar with the “New You Campaign”. <br />4. Where would the City be directing its marketing efforts? Mr. Walker stated that efforts would be <br />made throughout the City, with a specific emphasis on the Loop and Olive Boulevard which is a <br />top economic development priority for which marketing funds have been allocated in this year’s <br />budget. <br />5. Will a logo be needed to implement this marketing plan? Mr. Walker stated that a logo had been <br />developed as a part of the 2011-2012 marketing package. <br />6. Do you have any interest in changing the current logo? Mr. Walker stated that the logo that was <br />developed in conjunction with several focus groups and in his judgment it accurately reflects what <br />University City represents. <br />7. What instructions were given to staff regarding the creation of a new logo? Mr. Walker stated that <br />if Council decides to proceed with the marketing plan, the logo would be changed. <br />8. Provide a list of names of any other individuals that this information or concern about the logo has <br />been shared with, along with a copy of any written communications? Mr. Walker provided no <br />response. <br />9. Was money expended to incorporate the Neighborhood to the World logo into the current logo or <br />vice-versa? Mr. Walker stated that money was expended in either 2011 or 2012 when the <br />contract was approved by Council to retain Avant, and that recently there has been some staff <br />time associated with the logo. <br />8 <br /> <br /> <br />