University City Hires Marketing and Public Relations Firm

University City has hired a marketing and public relations firm called Avant Marketing Group.

According to its website, Avant was founded in 2004 and is a leading St. Louis-based practice specializing in market planning, brand development, and market research throughout global markets.

City Manager Lehman Walker said U City advertised for bids to select a marketing firm and received several responses.

"We have selected a firm that has extensive experience with marketing, branding and public relations," Walker told University City Patch.

 "We are confident that they will do an excellent job developing a communications plan for the City."

Walker said Avant has a proven track record.

"They just completed doing similar work in a comparable city in California," Walker said.

U City allotted $100,000 for public relations and marketing in its budget for Fiscal Year 2012. The new budget item was met with from some residents and several city councilmembers.

However, in an email to U City Patch on June 13, University City Mayor Shelley Welsch defended the move.

"The City of University City got rid of its Public Relations department a number of years ago and has had no official PR function since that time."

She said not having an official voice for the city has been a real detriment. 

"The City has become totally reactive and not proactive in putting information out about the City.We need to have a fully-functioning PR/Marketing effort to put out information about our community; to market our community to attract new businesses and residents;  to markets various City facilities; and to make sure that the profile of University City is heightened in a positive manner."

She added that  it was "short-sighted" to think U City could thrive, in competition with neighboring communities if it did not do a better job with public relations and marketing. 

"Our community has been damaged by our unwillingness to focus on this effort," she said.