Mizzou touts enrollment boost one year after hiring branding agency

Citing an increase in enrollment at the University of Missouri, UM System President Mun Choi said a partnership with branding agency 160over90 was “definitely worth it.”

Choi spoke to ABC 17 News after Thursday’s UM Board of Curators meeting in Kansas City, where MU chief marketing officer Kamrhan Farwell gave an update on the university’s work with the company.

Mizzou is still waiting on final enrollment numbers for this year, but leaders said today that freshman enrollment is expected to be up 13 percent when compared to last year.

“The 13 percent enrollment increase this year is a very positive step, and…the sentiment not only of our alumni, but of elected officials who believe that we now have leadership at the university that really cares about the success of our students and the success of Missourians,” Choi said.

MU hired the Philadelphia-based branding agency last year. The contract is for three years and is estimated at $1.27 million.

Choi said Thursday that the agency’s efforts have also led to an increase in fundraising.

“While 160over90 was focused on enrollment, they also worked on sentiment. [The] sentiment of our alums throughout the state and beyond the state. And the fact that we’ve had one of the best fundraising years in our history speaks to the success of those programs,” Choi said. “It really shows that the university is a place where investments can be made, where we actually accomplish the goals of student success and research breakthroughs. We’re very happy about the message that we’re sharing.”

Farwell said Thursday that hiring 160over90 was a “really good investment.” She said many other universities are struggling to shift to a digital model for marketing and shared that ads are going out to prospective students and their parents right now.