Village of Brown Deer partners with Marquette for semester-long marketing project: "To sell the village"
BROWN DEER -- The Village of Brown Deer has partnered with a senior level marketing class at Marquette University for a spring semester-long project where the Village is the exclusive client.
Marquette University
"There's a lot of misconceptions about Brown Deer," Michael Hall, Brown Deer village manager said. "We want to be able to show how great it is to live in Brown Deer -- how great it is to live here, and the crime is actually very low here and the schools are great schools and it's a very diverse community we have here. We want to get that word out."
Village of Brown Deer officials were struggling with just how to do that.
"We've come up with some ideas on our own, but we're not marketing people," Hall said.
The Marquette University students’ assignment is to create a brand strategy and marketing plan for the Village to implement during the second half of 2016.
Marquette University
"I said -- 'yup, sign me up!'" Felicia Miller, associate professor of marketing at MU said.
Miller teaches an undergraduate branding class, and has taken part in similar projects with non-profits and other organizations, but never a village.
Marquette University
"This will be a first -- and I think for the students, it will really be a hands on experience for them that they can use in their job search, in their first careers. It's going to be a really great experience for them because it's going to have a tangible impact," Miller said.
"You're marketing ideas, and not a product, and we`re not here to sell something -- but really to sell the village," Hall said.
“We are very excited to have the exceptional Marketing students at Marquette University help us tell our story,” said Nate Piotrwoski, community development director for the Village of Brown Deer. “We feel we’re the forgotten gem among the North Shore communities. The plan the university is producing for us will help spread the word about the incredible and affordable inventory of homes we have available; our schools that are being recognized for their excellence; and how safe it is to live here.”
Class starts on Wednesday, January 20th and many of the nearly 30 students signed up are seniors.