MU completes $1.2 million partnership with branding company

COLUMBIA – The University of Missouri has agreed to partner with a Philadelphia-based branding agency to head rebranding efforts for their flagship-Columbia campus.

The partnership with 160over90 and the University of Missouri includes a three-year deal that totals to just over $1.2 million. Christian Basi, director of the MU News Bureau, said the university does not have a history of outsourcing for large projects.

“We have in the past used outside firms to help us with ad buys,” Basi noted. “What we haven’t done is partnered with a firm for a complete rebranding campaign.”

Basi added that 160over90’s brand expertise, resources and time pushed the university to outsource for a project of this magnitude.

Representatives of 160over90 visited the flagship campus to familiarize themselves with the campus environment and brand. Basi noted that the decision to partner with an outside agency, though uncommon for the university, was an opportunity to partner with brand experts to target specific audiences.

“We are definitely suffering from a perception problem, and we wanted to put good messages out to prospective students and parents,” Basi said. “We wanted to make sure that we went out there and found the right experts that could market the university.”

Normally, the process of developing a brand can take up to a year, but Basi says MU is urging their new partners to move a bit faster than usual. Basi said MU hopes to have plans in place by the end of fall semester or early spring semester.

MU is currently working with their new partners on a short-term marketing goal, but look forward to developing a master plan before the year’s end.