Property empires are built on reputation, which is expressed by effective corporate branding.

This requires a more systemic approach than branding a single property.

Whether a developer’s business is a startup or an entrenched property empire, positive stakeholder perceptions translate into value.

Regardless of where your business is on its brand building journey, the key branding effectiveness is distinction – what makes your offering recognisably unique?

The power of distinction  

Our brains are wired to notice novelty and remember it.

This is why distinction works in brand building.

Being distinct means focusing on a single, relevant attribute of an offering and projecting it consistently at every opportunity.

For a developer this could be as simple as having a distinctive name. Or as complex as incorporating a particular architectural feature into every property – and reflecting it in other aspects of the brand.

As well as novelty, our brains are wired to notice what’s familiar. If something is not a threat, we subconsciously classify it as harmless.

Then, when faced with a choice, we will choose whatever our brains have classified as harmless over the unfamiliar. This is why simply plastering a distinctive logo everywhere is an effective brand building strategy.

Everyone has a choice. And all things being equal, a developer that consistently projects a distinctive brand at every opportunity will be chosen before a rival that doesn’t.

Being distinct means focusing on a single, relevant attribute of an offering and projecting it consistently at every opportunity.

A systemic approach captures brand value

Brand value is built cost-effectively by taking a methodical approach.

Brand building needs and priorities differ according to the stage of a real estate business.

We’ll look at startups and mature businesses in turn.

Branding for early-stage developers

A startup or newer property developer brand is easier to manage because there are no preconceptions.

Developers must consider their corporate brand in the competitive landscape and customer expectations.

The initial strategy also needs to support the long-term growth and evolution of the business.

Startup property developer branding musts

Flexibility: In real estate there are many opportunities, sub-sectors and locations.

A business that starts in residential real estate may pivot to opportunity in commercial property. Or from luxury to mass-market.

A more neutral and simple brand system supports this.

Consistency: A business that presents itself with consistency over time projects quality.

A consistent brand reflects stability, attention to detail and ability to execute.

People are more likely to buy into uncompleted projects from a real estate group perceived as reputable – consistent branding supports such a perception.

Simplicity: A simple brand is more effective because it’s easier to recognise.

A look back at how major brands evolve (eg. Shell, Starbucks, Apple) reveals they inevitably get more and more simple over time.

Paradoxically, simplicity takes more effort to create and sustain. Starting simple is a strategy that pays off.

Paradoxically, simplicity takes more effort to create and sustain. Starting simple is a strategy that pays off.

Branding for established property developers

A successful property developer will be recognised for the strengths that have built their business.

The mature business is often dramatically different from its early days. It may be working in different sectors or markets.

Trends and stakeholder expectations will also have changed over time. A corporate identity may need evolving and upgrading to remain aesthetically pleasing and relevant.

Signalling positive change

Making changes to a well-established brand is an opportunity to reinvent, refresh, and signal positive change.

It may also present an opportunity to organise projects more systematically, by defining a brand architecture.

Like any major change initiative, rethinking an established successful brand needs careful handling.

Corporate branding essentials for established property developers

Research: Start with a brand audit. This will reveal how the brand is being applied – and misapplied. It will ascertain its positioning in relation to competitors.

The process uncovers various strengths, challenges and opportunities, and illuminates the path ahead.

Heritage: Use the brand’s history as a strength, showcasing experience, expertise and success.

Often the founders’ values will still guide how the business is conducted.

Founders’ values can be very powerful, especially when attracting people who share the same values, such as business partners and staff members. Values are the bedrock of corporate culture-building

Respect: Revitalising a corporate brand identity will usually aim to balance a more contemporary approach with heritage elements.

This requires a sensitive, thoughtful touch, and experimentation within boundaries to find the ideal path forward.

Celebrate: Unveiling an upgraded brand offers an opportunity to mark a big event on the corporate calendar.

Along with introducing the revitalised brand, the leaders can also introduce operational changes.

A company’s commitment to change becomes more credible when accompanied by tangible signs of it – like a renewed corporate identity.

Are your brand guidelines still fit for purpose?

As a developer, you’ll know that building a property involves a lot of documentation.

Building an effective corporate brand also needs documentation, in the form of brand guidelines.

Clear and comprehensive brand guidelines are key to cost-effectively building a simple, consistent brand identity.

Brand guidelines can guide the naming and positioning of individual properties or a collection of properties, present the business more coherently with brand architecture, and ensure stakeholder understanding with defined message frameworks.

Guidelines also provide an anchor point for documenting and promoting corporate culture.

Future proofing and staying relevant

Brand guidelines need to be reviewed regularly.

Not only do they need to be adapted to the changing reality of the business, corporate communications are affected by business and governance trends, such as digital and ESG.

Without detailed up-to-date guidelines, the designers and writers responsible for implementing the brand will introduce inconsistency that reduces effectiveness.

From land bank to brand bank

Property developers have multiple stakeholders, including:

• Shareholders
• Managers, staff and potential recruits
• Investors and financial institutions
• Business partners, such as contractors, suppliers, service providers
• Customers and prospects
• Government, regulators and local authorities
• NGOs and neighbourhood groups
• Media
• Local communities

A well-considered brand system includes message frameworks that address the concerns of all these stakeholders.

From our first hand experience, when done right, the ROI of brand building in terms of elevated stakeholder perceptions delivers outsized returns.