University of Missouri Issues Marketing RFP
The University of Missouri St. Louis seeks an agency to provide Marketing Consulting Needs for St. Louis Public Radio: Brand Positioning and Capital Campaign as described herein. University of Missouri System is seeking proposals from experienced professional firms interested in providing the following: St. Louis Public Radio is laying the groundwork for our next capital campaign. We are now evaluating partners to research and refine our overall brand positioning: crafting a more distinct identity including brand hierarchy, tagline and primary messaging, and visual and audio brand identifiers. This consulting work will lead into the capital campaign launch and will include the creation of case messaging and support materials in line with the updated overall brand identity.
St. Louis Public Radio is an award-winning news organization and NPR-member station, providing in-depth news, insightful discussion and entertaining programs to half-a-million people per month on air and online. With a large, St. Louis-based newsroom and reporters stationed in Jefferson City and Rolla, Missouri, and (soon) in Belleville, Illinois, our journalists find and tell important stories about communities across the region and help people to become deeply informed about the issues that affect their lives. We broadcast on 90.7 KWMU FM in St. Louis, 90.3 WQUB in Quincy, Illinois, 88.5 KMST in Rolla and 96.3 K242AN in Lebanon, Missouri, and share news and music online at stlpublicradio.org. We are a member-supported service of the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
The station has a renewed Mission, Vision, and Core Values and has a robust, research-informed content strategy and social strategy. An overview of station content and programming channels and our mission is available on our “about us” page.
Since merging with the online news publication The St. Louis Beacon five years ago, St. Louis Public Radio has made a significant investment in its local news coverage: The merger included the addition of 15 staff, mostly in news; recent hires include an investigative reporter and a reporter stationed in Rolla; and we will soon hire a reporter to cover the Metro East.
Scope of Work:
University of Missouri System is seeking proposals from experienced professional firms interested in providing the following: St. Louis Public Radio is laying the groundwork for our next capital campaign. We are now evaluating partners to research and refine our overall brand positioning: crafting a more distinct identity including brand hierarchy, tagline and primary messaging, and visual and audio brand identifiers. This consulting work will lead into the capital campaign launch and will include the creation of case messaging and support materials in line with the updated overall brand identity.
Phase 1: Research Review
The first phases of this RFP are to create a research-informed, updated brand messaging and brand identity for the organization.
The agency should thoroughly review St. Louis Public Radio-provided research including, but not limited to:
● Previous focus group studies;
● Documented member comments;
● Capital campaign feasibility study;
● NPR research.
Based on this research, the agency should use their preferred methods of analysis to recommend updating the station’s components of brand communication.
Phase 2: Updated brand platform
BRAND PLATFORM AND MESSAGES:
The agency should propose a methodology to develop compelling messages which differentiate the station from our enumerated competitors. The existing tagline “Your Community, Your World” should be evaluated for replacement, and an option provided for a new tagline.
BRAND ARCHITECTURE AND IDENTIFIERS:
Agency should propose a methodology for developing a brand architecture for the station and its sub-brands. A new station logo may be developed. A brand signature style to be used across media will be developed, integrating printed materials, email communications, website, and social media presence, and building signage. Agencies are encouraged to investigate aural (sound) branding, brand audio expression,
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ROLLOUT:
Please provide your agency’s approach to rolling out brands to internal teams and a recommended approach for rolling out the new brand materials to the greater external market. A general overview of your process will suffice at this time, knowing that this will be modified as the phases above are completed.
Phase 3: Creation of Capital Campaign Marketing Materials
Finally, we wish to leverage the new brand identity and messaging to support a capital campaign, focused on building endowment, capital needs and capacity building to take on other projects. This campaign is currently tracked to raise $15 million by the 50th anniversary of St. Louis Public Radio in 2022. Dan Reynolds of Holmes, Radford & Reynolds is currently consulting with the STLPR team, working on the quiet phase of the campaign. The Standing Partnership has also been retained to provide public relations and messaging for corporate prospects.
STLPR wishes to partner with a firm to help craft the case for the campaign, and the branded communications materials to help make the campaign successful. Specifically, and for
● Written campaign case statement
● Main campaign case brochure, for Major Gift Donor prospects
● Campaign logo treatment and related graphics elements; STLPR will apply these elements in-house to create related campaign materials such as folders, letterhead, envelopes etc.)
● Small brochure e.g. 8 ½ by 11” bi-fold
● 3 min. video regarding the campaign theme
● Website landing page for campaign donations (wireframe and copy)
The hope is that the messaging developed in the first phase will be used in the campaign materials to create a strong forward thrust for campaign support. We wish to have printed materials available by the fourth quarter of 2019.
Due Date:
April 23rd, 2019.
Address:
Kyla Rogers
University of Missouri System Supply Chain
2910 LeMone Industrial Blvd
Columbia, Missouri 65201
Agencies worth considering include Kite Hill PR and Shift Communications.
