Starting today, March 14—or 314 Day, to celebrate St. Louis—you might notice new advertising for something called STLMade. The initiative, started by representatives from the Regional Business Council, St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Civic Progress, among others, aims to promote reasons that St. Louis is a great place for young professionals to plant roots and grow their careers. It will also share the success stories of St. Louisans.
Former Enterprise executive Lee Broughton is leading the campaign. “There isn't a sum of the whole that is told on a frequent basis about why St. Louis is such a fantastic place to start up, stand out, and stay,” he says, referencing the campaign's slogan.
Other Midwestern cities have done a better job telling their narratives, he says, and attracting and keeping talent. Now, St. Louis business leaders are making a concerted effort to do the same.
The campaign comes at a time when MLS4TheLou aims to bring a Major League Soccer team to town and the central corridor is seeing $8 billion in real estate investments from the Arch to Washington University, a point that Arch to Park CEO and STL Made proponent Jason Hall has underscored. There is “excitement and enthusiasm and energy across the region,” says Broughton.
So what exactly will STLMade look like? You’ll soon notice ads at MetroLink and bus stops, online, and at movie theaters. You can also find the campaign on social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as by using the hashtag #STLMade. STLMade is also launching theSTL.com, a site that will share St. Louisans' stories and provide what's been called a "unified narrative."
“We want to move economic development," says Broughton. "We want to retain fabulous talent that comes to our universities on an annual basis. We want them to stay and have job opportunities. We want the great idea startups to be here.
"If we can first gather around ourselves and, as a group of people, recognize the fantastic work that is being done, driving the region forward—underneath a singular identity or narrative—then that’s the perfect place to start.”
See Also: Through Arch to Park and STLMade, Jason Hall is boosting St. Louis’ brand
