July 21, 2023
Is a corporate branding wave coming to real estate?
According to Transforming Cities, a podcast and platform covering the new era of real estate, it’s already here. Whereas branding used to be a means of perceived legitimacy from banks and investors, the stakes are getting higher.
“Moving forward, legitimacy will mean more than having a website with a landing page, an about us page, and a contact form,” says founder and podcast host Chris Arnold. “It will mean telling a story through visuals and a narrative yielding a compelling vision that visitors will actually feel connected to.” Read the full breakdown here.
The idea of branding a project deeply—going beyond a name and logo and letting brand inform design, operations, and partnerships—already floods the market. One prime example of this movement is JLL’s recently announced Design Solutions team, led by Stephen Jay, that will combine brand communications and design consultation for developments.
Seeing this concept permeate into entire development firms is the clear next step.
Have you seen any really strong corporate real estate brands? Feel free to hit respond — would love to hear from you!
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MUST-READS
Enough with the ‘feel good’ architecture // FastCompany
The Curious Case of Colony Ridge // Thesis Driven
The Lounge Battle Royale Coming Soon to Your Airport // WSJ
Playful Cities Design Guide: Play for Anyone, Anywhere // Arup
Has your downtown recovered? Chart shows which cities are thriving or struggling right now // FastCompany
The ROI of Branding: Best Practices for a High-Impact Project // Designer Fund
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IDEA SPOTLIGHT
Sticks & Bricks Substack
Brad Hargreaves’ Thesis Driven announced a sister publication: Stick & Bricks, a publication for entrepreneurs building or buying brick-and-mortar operating businesses. While Thesis Driven focuses on innovation in the built world, it’s not exactly tailored to the interests of someone buying laundromats or launching a pet daycare franchise—who has little in common with a multifamily GP or an institutional allocator. Sticks & Bricks is for the cash flow entrepreneurs of the built world, those creating the companies that venture capitalists like to call “lifestyle businesses.”
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