University City Reveals Results of Year-Long Strategic Marketing Plan and Unveils New Logo and Brand Identity

University City District Reveals Results of Year-Long Strategic Marketing Plan and Unveils Much-Anticipated New Logo and Brand Identity

Contact: Lori Klein Brennan at 215 243 0555 x 227 or lori@ucityphila.org

For Immediate Release

June 29, 2004

(Philadelphia, PA) – Today, University City District (UCD) officially unveils the first new comprehensive identity package for the organization and the area. At an event last night, Eric Goldstein, Executive Director for UCD shared the results of a year-long marketing strategic plan and unveiled a new graphic logo for the organization and tagline for University City.

Goldstein explains that, "University City District was founded in 1997 to reinvigorate University City, the 2.2 square-mile neighborhood on the west side of downtown Philadelphia, by combating the issues of cleanliness and safety which threatened the community and to help change negative perceptions of the area."

Ever since then, UCD has worked to improve the quality of life for the area's residents, students, employees and visitors. The Public Space Maintenance program continues to significantly reduce litter and trash in the residential and commercial areas. The Ambassador program has helped improve public safety in the neighborhood and, crime continues to steadily decline each year. The early initiatives and actions by UCD have been enormously successful and have played a major role in the ongoing revitalization of the neighborhood. While the Clean and Safe team was making measurable impacts in the neighborhood, UCD's marketing program was seeking to raise the profile of University City to both internal and external audiences through the promotion of events, publications, a website and other collaborative, cross-promotional relationships.

Last summer, after 5 years of substantial marketing efforts UCD felt it was time to step back and analyze all of their marketing initiatives, funding, allocations, and human resources. They looked at how their partners in University City market themselves and surveyed the public to see if negative perceptions of the neighborhood still exist.

It was decided that the development of a strategic marketing plan was the best way to meet their marketing objectives - to allow them to effectively, efficiently, and strategically market University City as a vibrant, diverse neighborhood. UCD then hired Kanter International to take a strategic approach to their marketing efforts.

Key conclusions from the research include:

University City is no longer perceived negatively in the areas of cleanliness and safety versus other urban neighborhoods and is transitioning from the negative equity of the past into an extremely positive future--the research indicates that the broader market views University City neutrally or not at all, which gives us the opportunity to define our own Vision.
University City possesses the raw materials to become a distinctive community within this region.
Many people don't know what University City offers and for what it stands however, among those that do, the University City restaurant portfolio is our greatest immediate asset.
To ensure consistent, concerted brand growth, UCD must play a leadership role as the centralized marketing arm of University City as well as its brand manager.

As the process begins of advancing this cohesive vision for the University City brand, UCD must put forth a compelling, consistent look that clearly conveys the essence of what want this community is all about.

A logo is one of the most important creative elements of a vision and organizational strategy. As UCD's marketing objective is to differentiate University City based on its unique assets, the logo must powerfully suggest those things that make the organization different and worthy of visitation, consideration and investment. In its abstraction, the previous UCD logo does not adequately convey the distinctive qualities of University City, nor does it suggest the leadership role UCD will play in the growth of the community. Thus, the report concluded that UCD needed a new graphic identity to better represent the organization and those they serve.

In addition, UCD created a tagline that is strong, compelling and communicates a positive personality that the brand can own because of both the location and the offbeat, diverse and funky offerings of University City. The line is clever, memorable and consistent with the brand. Again, after multiple taglines were presented and tested, UCD is moving forward with promoting University City as "Left of Center."

Lori Klein Brennan, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications for UCD says, "UCD won't completely change overnight. We are having a phased roll-out of the new identity to keep in line with our normal purchasing and to be fiscally responsible. Over the next year, you will gradually see our identity change - from new marketing materials to vehicle identification to new uniforms. We anticipate this being a very positive change for both the organization and the community. UCD looks forward to the community adopting the new tagline. We'll be developing and packaging incentives for our partners to help us spread the word and to encourage them to link themselves with the new identity for University City. Look for the new ad campaign this summer and for things like new banner incentives, co-op advertising programs and much more."

To download a copy of the condensed marketing strategic plan, visit www.ucityphila.org.

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University City District builds effective partnerships to maintain a clean and safe environment and to promote, plan and advocate for University City’s diverse, urban community.

Release Date: Tuesday, June 29th 2004