In 2010, Gilbane Development Company broke ground on a 540-bed student housing community right across the street from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. This being its first foray into student housing, the company called on the experts at Catalyst to profile the consumer base and turn out a brand the kids would flock to.

So we sent our crack team of residential marketeers out to Richmond, VA, to hit the streets, visiting local hot spots and conducting student intercept surveys on campus to help identify local cultures and traditions. They shopped other student housing competitors and pulled local media sources for potential media plans.

Back in Austin the team analyzed and reported on the results, and created a consumer profile, thus initiating the naming process. Because the community was located so close to the university, in a thoroughfare to campus expansion, Catalyst and the client agreed on a title that was both recognizable to the student demographic and indicative of its close proximity to campus:

The team then immediately got to work shaping an overarching brand identity for the community, including logo standards, a paper system, website, interactive floor plan selector, advertising campaign, and pre-leasing office signage and material.

The community was an instant hit with VCU students. Our client looks like a rock star.

Project:

• Marketing Study
• Naming
• Brand Development

In 2011, Simmons Homes contacted Catalyst to help develop a strategic marketing plan for their company. Oklahoma’s number one home builder for the past 18 years needed to refresh its brand and launch a new series of home collections to get a leg up in an increasingly competitive market.

The Catalyst residential marketing team met with Simmons Homes to develop a strategic plan for 2011 and to identify a creative direction for the new brand.  The team noted that Simmons Homes focused on the customer every step of the way – from floor plan and elevation design all the way to move-in and beyond. This personal focus was best represented in the brand by Greg Simmons’ signature. They also introduced a rich blue to the brand, signifying trust and loyalty.

Next it was time to kick off this reinvention with something truly innovative…

Stage II of the project involved the creation and launch of a new home collection. Catalyst’s residential marketing team worked with Simmons to create a sub-brand identity for the Modern-Classic Home Collection, which couples energy-efficiency with intelligent design to introduce a totally unique type of home to the Tulsa market.

Catalyst helped with the launch of “Uncensored Home”––a Parade of Homes display of a partially-finished house, allowing visitors to see the all of the energy saving innovations within: exposed rebar in the slab, foam insulation, and smart thermostat controls to name a few.

Catalyst touched off the launch of the series with a “Realtor’s All-Access Pass” event, complete with red carpet, step-and-repeat backdrop, caterer, and special backstage passes to act as invites. Playing off the exposed interior of the house, guests were given “X-Ray glasses” to reveal the house’s energy-saving innards.

The event brought in over 150 realtors and Simmons sold 5 homes within the first few days following the event.

Another victory for Oklahoma’s true blue developers and the idea-toting Texans at Catalyst.

In 2011, the American International Group picked up a big green LEED certified giant of a property from a major student housing developer in San Diego. The community needed a new name to reflect a change of leadership. That’s where we stepped in.

Our research told us what we needed to know about the ins and outs of the community. We needed the brand to be relevant to the market, but also carry a hip, trendy vibe. “Fifty Twenty-Five” was right on the money.

For a solar panel equipped student apartment complex in sunny San Diego, we took our design cues from recognizable elements of the climate. This resulted in an overall graphic identity that projects a laid-back Southern California airiness and environmental awareness that are key to the community.