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Author: Stacey Feeney

Fonts to Fit Your Brand

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Graphic Design. No Comments on Fonts to Fit Your Brand

There was a lot of huff and puff over Jaguar’s latest rebrand. The typeface in the new logo and overall vibe felt too modern for an old, classically luxury car brand. But it was different. Just knowing that the brand was able to portray something new with a fresh font and a different brand direction goes to show: Fonts affect a brand’s personality and vibe.

Font Types

There are multiple categories of typefaces, and each one has countless specific fonts within the category. Every one has the ability to convey emotion and either underscore your brand’s personality, or fight against it—so it’s best to learn how they work, and what styles will work best for your brand and the vibe you’re going for.

EMOTION, PERSONALITY, VIBE

Sometimes things that are not alive can be assigned some measure of human character and emotion. We can anthropomorphize fonts, or give them human qualities. Some typefaces make us nostalgic. Some typefaces make us sit up a little straighter. Some typefaces bring us a sense of joy and fun. Fonts can create emotion. Can Arial do that? Not likely. But choose something like Courier New, and you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked back to an old-timey newsroom.

The easiest way to get a sense of this is to take one short phrase, say, “I love you” and toggle through different fonts to tap into the feeling. Are some sweet? Some over-the-top? Some creepy? Keep in mind that the words didn’t change, but suddenly the feeling it evokes did. All because you swapped the font.

Categories of Typefaces

There are multiple typeface categories: serif/slab serif, sans serif, script, and display. They all have the capability to evoke different feelings, and with that comes a great deal of power. Choose the right one for your brand, based on the vibe you want to go for (and the kind of resident you want to connect with).

Serif / Slab Serif

A serif on a font is an additional detail on each letter—a small stroke at the end of each larger stroke.

Serif fonts are classic. They convey reliability, trust, and good old-fashioned formality and stability. 

Example: Times New Roman is probably the most well known font out there, thanks to its wide and early use in newspapers. It was also the typical font setting for Microsoft Word programs, and generally accepted as readable and clear.

If you want your brand to feel like it will stand the test of time, go with a serif font. It gives the sense that it has been there forever, and always will be.


A slab serif is similar, but the serifs are more blocked off, giving the letters a boxier appearance. One of the most popular slab serif fonts is Sentinel.

Sans Serif

As you might expect, sans serif is a typeface that does not use serifs. Each letter only uses the stroke itself to identify the letter, and no extra ornamentation. These are generally considered minimal, modern, and much more straightforward than their detailed counterparts.

Example: Arial is one of the most popular sans serif fonts. It’s often the default in plenty of programs, including Google docs.

If you want your brand to feel clean, modern, no-nonsense—sans serif is likely the way to go. Sometimes you can also angle into more geometric versions of sans serif, or lean into a robot-age style with some interesting futuristic sans serif fonts.

Script / Handwritten

Like handwriting, but more consistent and tidy. This can mean a script that flows from one letter to the next, or it can have a more handwritten vibe, whether somewhere between cursive and manuscript.

Example: Pacifico is a popular handwritten style font. It’s light and breezy but has a sturdy readability to it, as long as it’s used in larger sizes, sparingly and not in body text.

There is a large variety of script and handwritten fonts out there. It’s worth finding one that may work with your brand as an accent font, but not as body text. Determine whether you want something fancier (a more calligraphic look) or if something scribbly works best. Either way, it will definitely stand out.

Decorative / Display / Retro

Similar to some handwritten and script fonts, decorative fonts are meant to be just that: fancy for the sake of being fancy, to create a vibe, or to keep with a theme. It certainly manages to catch one’s eye! But be sure to have something additional in your brand guidelines for body text to get the full message across.

Display fonts are typically used for headings and other large sized text to grab attention.

Retro fonts are fonts that harken back to another time, whether bubbly 70s letters that make you think “Groovy, baby, yeah!” or a creatively thick-to-thin sans serif that brings an old New York City delicatessen to mind.

Example: This could be anything from Thriller to Playbill to a collegiate looking block style font.

Choose carefully and check the vibes before you move forward finalizing that one for your brand guidelines.

Where to Find Fonts

Go behind the scenes with Stacey Feeney, our founder and chief creative director as she gives you the best resources for finding fonts and how to use them!

Fonts for Brands—Best Practices

First off, let’s address a quick misconception: “Your font should match your logo.” Nope! We’d actually argue the opposite. The logo should stand out. It should identify your brand, be recognizable and eye-catching and work with your vibes. However, the fonts you choose should compliment your logo instead of match it. Fun fact: most logos (if made well) don’t even use a font. Instead, they’re custom-designed lettering and imagery and won’t have a font that matches anyway.

Now, onto best practices of fonts for brands.

RULES OF THUMB

Couple rules we like to live by at Zipcode Creative:

  1. In most cases, body copy should be simple and sans serif. It’s clean and easy. Save your fancy styles for headlines and other shorter info blocks (think taglines and call outs.) Note: Books typically use serif fonts, but for apartment brands, we’re not getting too much more content than 1 paragraph at a time.
  2. Don’t go higher than 4 font types—if you’re using an accent font. If you’re not using an accent font, 3 is the maximum number of fonts you should be juggling. When you have too many fonts, the reader will feel confused and the design will appear cluttered and chaotic. Plus, they won’t know where to look, and your branding and identity will get lost in the (visual) noise.

BUT WHAT ABOUT TEMPLATE DEFAULTS?

We talked a bit about the defaults that happen in Google docs, in Microsoft word—and often defaults will appear in your website and email builder as well, whether Mailchimp or WordPress or Squarespace. It’s not uncommon for your very specific font choice to be unavailable in these templates.

Besides feeling special about your very custom brand font, you might feel panicked that it won’t match. Get as close as possible. Many fonts are very similar, with minute differences only obvious to the hyper-trained (graphic designer) eye. 

Now that you understand typefaces, you’ll be able to identify the category (serif, sans serif) and choose something that will be similar to what you’ve already outlined in your brand guidelines as The Font.

(Don’t you dare choose Comic Sans or Papyrus.)

Accent Colors How to Add To Your Apartment Brands Palette

Accent Colors—How to Add To Your Apartment Brand’s Palette

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Graphic Design. No Comments on Accent Colors—How to Add To Your Apartment Brand’s Palette

Color theory isn’t theoretical in terms of importance for your apartment brand. It’s part of your overall identity and will definitely impact how your prospects (and anyone else who comes in contact with your brand) view your apartments or corporation. Accent colors are a helpful way to expand your branding guideline’s use.

If you already have a color palette established, choosing additional colors can seem risky or difficult. Let’s walk through choosing excellent complementary colors that will work with the branding you already have.

This will help you select accent colors to make your brand pop.


Ready?

Let’s pop.

Background: Color Theory Basics

Let’s get back to Art 101 here, including parts of the color wheel (which has 12 parts). Plus a couple definitions that may be helpful:

Color Types

Primary – Red, yellow, and blue. You can make any color from these.
Secondary – Green, orange, and purple. Basically the other part of the rainbow, made from primary colors.
Tertiary – Mix a primary and secondary, get one of six tertiary colors. Like Red-orange.

Color Characteristics

Hue – The color—or the name we give it. Every color has a basic hue—which would have to be one of the primary, secondary, or tertiary colors. (A lavender color has a purple hue.)

Saturation – The vibrancy or intensity of a color—the lower the saturation, the less vibrant it is.

Brightness – The shade or tint of a color.
Contrast – How one color stands out from another.

Each of these color elements impacts perception of your brand. And every color has an associating idea and mood. If you’re familiar with those ideas, it will help you narrow down your choices. For example, green is typically seen as soothing and natural. Purple is associated with royalty and luxury. Blue is trustworthy.

(Read more of the color psychology breakdown in our blog here.)

Complementary Colors

Those that are opposite each other on the color wheel—and they tend to look good together. Think: orange and blue, yellow and purple, red and green.

But if you’ve already got a color palette, and you’re just adding to it, it’s helpful to know what will work best.

Adding to Existing Color Palettes

You already have brand colors? Start there. Look at what it has going on. Does it have a little bit of everything? Figure out what, if anything, is missing.

First– try the analogous, complementary, and split-complementary colors. Second– try using varying tones of the same hue to gain color through lighter or darker versions of an existing color.

BEST PRACTICES

Accent colors should be just that: an accent. Certain colors will “pop” against the rest of the palette and can draw attention to the things you want to highlight for your residents and prospects. They should be used sparingly, as they’re not the main idea.

Also: keep it simple. Don’t go overboard with too many colors; it just muddies your brand recognition. When you have 3-4 main colors and 1-2 accent colors, that’s the sweet spot. If you have more, your brand recognition will have diminishing returns. Think about Coca-Cola. They have, what, four colors? Red, white, black, and gold—and nothing else. And you can picture the colors in your head. If you want brand recognition, keeping it simpler will be helpful. Find the best possible color pairings and go from there.

POLICE IT

We’ve said before: If it’s “close enough” it’s not good enough. Every color has a specific pantone, RGB, CMYK, and HEX code. Use them and show the team how to use them.
Without proper training, you’ll end up with things that look kind of right, but maybe a little off. 

Plus, when it comes down to holiday and/or seasonal creations, it may not be obvious what’s allowed or not—so get ahead of this and indicate what is permitted for, say, Christmas or Thanksgiving posts in regards to color palettes and accent colors.

Once you have your color palette and brand guidelines, you need to stick with them and make sure everyone else does, too.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Go behind the scenes with Stacey Feeney, our Founder & Chief Creative Director, where together you will learn how to add colors to an existing, limited brand color palette.

The Most Common Branding Mistakes in Multifamily (Part 2)

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing. No Comments on The Most Common Branding Mistakes in Multifamily (Part 2)

We’re back for part two of the most common branding mistakes in multifamily!
(If you missed part one, check it out here.)

It always feels cheaper and simpler to toss branding to the side as a last-minute, not-that-important thing.


But we’re here to tell you—you’ll likely miss out on leads and it will be way more complicated to fix your reputation and get your brand back on track if you don’t get after it from the start.

For Property/Apartment Brands

BRANDING MISTAKE #6: UNINSPIRED NAMES

If you gave me a dollar for every property that was called _____ Villas or _____ Flats, I wouldn’t need to have my own business. (Don’t do what everyone else is doing!) It’s better to start a brand off right with a name that has a story behind it, name the apartments something with meaning.

Look into the history of the area. Find out what the building (or land site) used to be. Determine whether the owners or property managers have special ties to the project. When you have a clever name, it can catch your prospects’ attention. Intrigue and curiosity goes a long way with the customer journey.

MISTAKE #7: NO STRATEGY

Just flying by the seat of your pants? Cool for last-minute vacations, but not so much for a huge investment like an apartment community. Just remember: every market is different, so having a strategy in place that goes beyond the surface level demographics will certainly boost your efficacy.

Do your research and set up your strategy to make the most of what you know. If you’re thinking, “Ah, but branding is really only a logo and colors” well, first, you’re wrong. Second, you’ve got a long way to go.

Branding isn’t just about looks. It should look good, yes, but going with what’s always been done is not going to give you a leg up on the competition. Instead, you’ll look like one of MANY that are doing the same thing. 

Since the logo is the face of the brand, it should be thoughtfully crafted. Your visual identity is also a lot more than colors and fonts. It’s everything that can be seen that your prospects and residents can connect with. Visually, you’re creating a lifestyle “vibe” that must attract and resonate with the audience you’ve done the research on. 

Create your branding strategy with an ideal resident profile in mind and you’ll find things go a bit more predictably. Those “extra elements” aren’t extra. They’re part of your brand identity.

MISTAKE #8: SKIPPING BRAND MESSAGING

Speaking of “extra”—some properties believe brand messaging isn’t totally necessary and that website copy just written for SEO is enough. This part of your brand identity (we call it the verbal identity) isn’t as obvious, but it’s just as important. When you’re one option of many for apartment hunters, residents are going to see a lot of the same ol’, same ol’ unit and community amenity lists. So how can you actually set yourself apart?

By identifying a verbal identity that is uniquely yours. “Use your words” to get their attention and tell the story of how you’re different. This can be your vibe, your history, and the whole…lifestyle package you offer. Another bonus of all that resident research you did: You have a better grasp of what their deepest desires are—and then you can align your property brand to be just that.

For Corporate Brands

At the risk of thinking corporate brands are immune to this mistake, they unfortunately are not. There’s still plenty of branding work that requires attention, especially in the larger context of corporate property brands.

MISTAKE #9: NO TRUE IDENTITY

There was a tiny wall hanging of the “Teen Commandments” in the hallway of my house as an adolescent and teen. “Stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything” was commandment five. It came to mind when I was thinking about branding.

If you’re careful, you’ll consciously create a brand that is specific and consistent. That means your brand is clear on:

  • Who the brand is (mission, vision)
  • What the brand stands for (goals, values, culture); and
  • Everything beyond your products and services (the WHY)

There have been a number of times where our clients—property management companies—don’t know how to identify their identity. Busy thinking their brand is just the logo, they don’t pay attention to the culture being built within their company, whether intentional or not. 

MISTAKE #10:  IGNORING REPUTATION

Right in line with the “not paying attention”—a brand reputation can make or break a brand. This goes hand-in-hand with online reviews as well as word of mouth.

Good reputation? Awesome. Play it up. Use it to make the brand presence known in corporate, and prospect/resident-facing in your properties. Once your prospects and residents realize who is behind the good experience they’re having, that equates to an even better rep. If they move or want to refer friends, they’ll look for your management company first. Ah, customer loyalty.

Bad reputation? Yikes, get to work on fixing it with a rebrand. Overhaul your brand and get a fresh start on your reputation so you can rebuild it into something better.

Don’t ignore what people are saying—they’re the people who are interacting with your brand.

MISTAKE #11: LACK OF BRAND BUY-IN

Branding has to have some measure of buy-in from the top-down, and from the inside-out. If there is any bit of inconsistency or inauthenticity, it will be found out by your prospects and residents. 

At the corporate level, it’s vital to instill the brands to the whole team. Through training, through understanding, through effectively using the brand guidelines as the rule. Everyone that comes into contact with your brand should understand who you are and what you do based on:

  • What they see
  • What they hear
  • What they experience

And when we say “everyone that comes in contact with your brand” this includes investors, owners, suppliers, AND residents.

Wondering about a rebrand now? Plenty more where that came from—check out parts one and two on corporate branding for multifamily to get even more details on what to do and how to do it.


If you’re working through multifamily branding, we hope this helps. As always, if you have more questions than answers, hit us up.

Multifamily Website and Branding—Which Do You Need?

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing. No Comments on Multifamily Website and Branding—Which Do You Need?

Multifamily Website and Branding – Which Do You Need?

For multifamily operators, the difference between a brand that attracts residents and one that gets overlooked often boils down to two elements: branding and a website. They’re like the foundation and structure of a building— each essential and interconnected, yet serving distinct purposes. If you’re wondering whether you need a new website or a complete branding overhaul (or both), this guide is for you.

What’s the Difference Between Branding and a Website?

You might be thinking: “No kidding.” Hang in there—a website is built upon a brand. And they both have a distinct role to play, even though they’re deeply connected. Here’s how we separate them out in our mind:

  • Branding is the why behind your property. It’s the emotional and visual connection you create with your audience. This includes:
    • How you look. Your logo, color palette, and typography.
    • How you sound. Your brand voice—how you communicate in emails, on your website, and even in person.
    • How you’re different. Your value proposition. Essentially what you have to offer that makes your property different (in a good way).

A Website is the how. It’s the primary tool used by prospective residents in their research journey of finding a new home. It simultaneously serves as a way to deliver your brand’s story and property information – and it also is used as your primary ecommerce leasing tool. A digital home base to generate leads and convert high quality traffic across your property’s entire digital footprint.

Signs You Need a Branding Overhaul

Whether you’re planning to revamp your website or not, it’s always a great idea to consider whether your brand could use a refresh. Here are some considerations of when a brand refresh is a good approach:

You’re Launching a New Development. If you’re starting from scratch, branding is essential for creating a unique identity.

Your Logo and Visual Identity Are Dated. A modern, cohesive brand helps your property stand out in a competitive market.


Your Property Isn’t Attracting the Right Residents. Branding determines who your ideal residents are and how to connect with them emotionally.

Your Messaging Feels Inconsistent. Do your marketing materials, leasing office decor, and online presence feel mismatched? A clear brand story ensures your website communicates the same message everywhere.

Your Property Got a Face Lift. A major construction or rehab project, new management, or a post-acquisition transition are all prime opportunities to introduce refreshed branding that reflects your property’s new identity.

Signs You Need a New Website

Whether your branding is perfectly polished or not, your website is the digital home base for your property and plays a critical role in driving results. A strong digital presence can tell your story, generate leads, and convert traffic into action. Here are some signs it might be time for a new website:

Poor Digital Performance and Lead Conversion. A website that doesn’t convert visitors into leads can leave you struggling to meet occupancy goals.

Outdated User Experience. A great user experience (UX) is all about delivering the right information to the right audience at the right time. Renters rely on your website throughout their research journey, often using their phones to evaluate options. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, fast, and intuitive to navigate, you could be missing out on critical opportunities to connect with prospective residents.

Hard-to-Manage Templates. Managing your website shouldn’t feel like a chore. Rigid templates can make updates cumbersome and limit your ability to customize. With Resi, editing and scaling is easy (Hawthorne launched 60 sites in 60 days with Resi’s Enterprise Themes!)

Ineffective Performance Measurement & Data Access. If tracking your website’s effectiveness feels like guesswork, it may be time for a platform that provides clearer insights. Your website should come with a clear dashboard to see your property’s performance at a glance.

Integration Challenges. Your website needs to work seamlessly with your PMS, CRM, and other tools.

Misaligned with Your Brand or Resident Experience. Your website is an extension of your brand and the resident experience you deliver. If it doesn’t represent your brand’s identity or showcase the quality of your property, it’s time for a refresh. When you’ve invested in a great brand, you should have the tools to show it off in full!

Why Branding and a Website Work Best Together

Teamwork makes the dream work, 100%. At Resi and Zipcode Creative, we see the best results when branding and website design are tackled together. Here’s why:

Brand Informs Design.

Your brand identity—logo, colors, and voice—directly impacts the look and feel of your website. Certainly a website can look great even without brand development preceding it, but with thoughtful brand development a website can speak more precisely to your exact target resident, tell a better story, and depict the lifestyle and experience your community offers– ultimately creating powerful differentiation from your competitors.

Messaging and Storytelling Drives Conversions. Your website is like a book: the branding is the story, and the design is the cover that draws renters in. Most properties offer similar features, but it’s the story you tell about your community’s lifestyle that sets you apart.

A clear, compelling message weaves your brand narrative throughout your website, connecting with renters on a deeper level. By aligning your message with their aspirations, you build trust, enhance brand equity, and drive conversions.


Cohesion Builds Trust. When your website reflects your brand seamlessly, renters are more likely to trust you. (And trust is a result of brand recognition which can lead to loyalty and retention.) 

The Wexford: An Example of Beautiful Collaboration

Wondering how we know all this? Real experience. Zipcode Creative + Resi were both tapped to help with The Wexford. Together, they collaborated to bring The Wexford’s vision to life. Zipcode Creative was on deck for design and Resi built a custom website that perfectly translated the brand into a functional, high-performing digital experience.

Honestly, we work really well together because we each get to do the things that we’re best at: Zipcode Creative dials in the brand development (verbal to visual identity) while Resi creates the beautiful, performance-based custom websites with tailored SEO and integrations.

What’s Next?

Before diving into a branding overhaul or website redesign, make sure you’re asking the right questions to ensure your digital strategy is set up for success:

  • Does your brand provide a strong foundation for your digital presence, or does it need a refresh to truly stand out?
  • Is your website an effective and high-performing tool for attracting and converting renters?

Resi and Zipcode Creative seamlessly integrate branding and web design to deliver cohesive, high-performing solutions that resonate with your ideal residents. Whether you’re looking for a complete overhaul or just need a digital facelift, we’re here to help, together.

Thinking through your property’s needs and wondering what better branding and a fresh website could do for your community? Reach out, and let’s discuss how you can better attract and convert your ideal residents.

The Most Common Branding Mistakes in Multifamily—And How to Avoid Them (Part 1)

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing. No Comments on The Most Common Branding Mistakes in Multifamily—And How to Avoid Them (Part 1)

Branding mistakes happen, even in multifamily. But don’t worry, we’re here to help point out some of the most common ones—and how you can avoid them! (Look forward to part 2 in the very near future…)

Branding Mistake #1: Not Enough Time

Think you can brand in a flash and it will all work out? Not likely. It takes time to do research. Research on your competition. Research on your audience and ideal resident profile (IRP). Simply taking the time to make decisions about which approach to take can make a huge difference in the final result.

Identify an IRP so you can connect with them. Take time to do the research and determine their desires so you can align your brand with what they want most.

A slapdash brand isn’t going to help a community reach its leasing goals. While you could cut specific pieces out of your branding package, don’t cut corners.

Avoid this mistake: As soon as you know that the community is in need of a brand (or a rebrand), get to work. Find a partner that can work well with you and go about the brand from the inside out. A properly developed brand takes time.

Branding Mistake #2: Not Enough Money (Budget)

While we don’t love the idea of “spending money to make money” there is some truth to it. Brand perception is part of the equation. And appearing successful means your branding should look spot on (and consistent) and reach the people you mean to reach.

If you are spending some of your budget to develop a brand, ensure you’re getting a brand guideline at the end of it all. This guideline can be used to keep everything (branding-wise) on track. This branding mistake also applies to affordable communities—those residents deserve a well developed brand they can connect with—with at least some money behind it.

Avoid this mistake: A properly developed brand takes (some) money. Budgets are always under scrutiny—and it can be difficult to defend your spend on branding if you don’t know how to point to ROI and how an apartment brand is valued. Determine your budget and use it to your advantage—a properly developed brand takes money.

Branding Mistake #3: Only Logos or Taglines (AKA Being Superficial)

A logo is not a brand. A tagline is not a brand. They are PARTS of a brand. Yes, they’re a big part of branding, but they’re not all there is.

The difference between a well-developed brand that helps accomplish goals rather than one that just looks pretty: going beyond the superficial. We typically break branding down into two basic camps:

Verbal – How the brand sounds. This includes the brand vision, mission, values, and the brand voice, tone, pacing, and things you do and don’t say.

Visual – How the brand looks. This includes the color palette, logo, icons, and photography (lifestyle/vibe/stock).

There are of course more aspects, like brand personality and brand positioning, which can get dialed into both the visual and the verbal part of the brand. But items like brand perception and brand value are more focused on the outcome and results of the branding you’ve completed.

Avoid this mistake: Think beyond what you can literally read (tagline) and see (logo). Get deeper into brandwork to make one that lasts and connects emotionally with your ideal residents.

Plus: Read more about how branded amenities can help reach property #goals.

Branding Mistake #4: Confusing Branding with Marketing

They are so, so closely linked that it can be pretty easy to get tripped up. But branding comes first. And marketing is what you do with that brand. (For example, your website and your advertising is part of that.)

We imagine it probably gets confused because branding dollars may get pulled from your marketing budget. That makes sense. Marketing is the overarching thing here. Branding, though, is who you are. Marketing is how you get it out to the people and make them aware of it. If anything, brand awareness is more closely linked to marketing.

Avoid this mistake: Put branding and marketing together, but develop your brand first. THEN put out your ads that put your brand out there.

Branding Mistake #5: Inconsistency or Being Too Casual

Branding is fun, but it should also be taken seriously for multifamily. It’s not a slap a color palette together and throw a logo on a building sort of scenario. It works better if you do the research, know who you want to reach, create a plan, and execute that branding plan. That same branding plan should stay consistent, day in and day out. 

The handy branding guidelines that we give to our clients aren’t just a deliverable and proof of the work we’ve accomplished together. Those guidelines are a tool meant to be used regularly. Branding guidelines are just that—guidelines. They’re helpful for everyone from upper management down to the leasing office folks who are putting together a flyer for a fundraiser and need to know which logo to use on a white background.

Avoid this mistake: Once you’ve built your brand, don’t stand by and watch it get diminished by sloppy work and inconsistency. Protect it by enforcing the brand guidelines and offering training to every one of your employees on how best to use the brand assets.

Hopefully after this, you can say “mistakes were *not* made.” Or, at least if you did make them, you’re actively learning from them at this point.

Branding has all kinds of best practices, but if you have a good partner they’ll guide you in the right direction without all the pitfalls of typical multifamily branding mistakes.

2025 Trends in Multifamily Branding and Design

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Graphic Design, Marketing. No Comments on 2025 Trends in Multifamily Branding and Design

It’s the time of the year when we all start trying to predict what’s gonna be hot for 2025 branding and design for multifamily. Okay, so not all of us. But definitely us—the folks at Zipcode Creative.

Anyway. Read on to see what we think is in for next year in 2025 multifamily branding trends.

Brand Positioning

You know we love a good multifamily brand. But how to get it in the right place at the right time with the right words? That usually takes some measure of professional help. Three things we think will be on the docket for the best kind of brand this upcoming year: loyalty-based branding, well-crafted brand messaging, and experiential branding. See what we mean:

BRANDING FOR LOYALTY

The ultimate goal of branding: to retain your residents. That’s done through a variety of avenues and feelings: trust, loyalty, recognition. You know the ones. But how to be strategic about it, that’s the trick. 

Getting brand recognition means having a stronger brand—this could come from the top, just having a bigger presence of the property management company at the property level. Then, with multiple properties, you create brand recognition more easily, and then loyalty.

Multifamily is moving more and more toward hospitality-style branding. X by Marriott. X by Wyndham. X a Hilton Hotel. You’ve seen it. And it helps solidify the standing of that particular branch of hotel just by naming the main hotel group that it’s part of. 

Additionally, more multifamily communities are diving deeper into rewards and loyalty programs. It works out for your residents if they appreciate their community and want to stay with you. Or, if it doesn’t really matter to them where they go next, having a rewards program is like dangling a carrot. (It equates to benefits for both you and for the resident.) Essentially, you don’t have to have a portfolio-level brand—the loyalty programs you put in place could be the key.

BRAND MESSAGING

Saying the right thing helps. Plenty of property owners are seeing the value in a well-crafted brand, and they’re investing in a more thorough brand development process—one that includes verbal identity.


Be Real – There’s so much SEO writing (keyword stuffing? boo!) and AI writing (let’s focus on the human experience of things, right?) that we’re craving authenticity and brands that are real. How can you be real? Feel real? Create a brand personality that can come through in your messaging. If you’re a fun-loving brand, use puns and write in a light-hearted way. If you’re a serious, upper-crust brand, use words that evoke exclusivity and keep the tone straight. 

Don’t Be Basic – In the past, multifamily brands have been known to “slap a logo” on a building, pick a few colors, choose a font, and be done with branding. That’s not quite going to cut it anymore. Competition is fierce, and if you don’t have a brand that allows you to stand out, the messaging you create after developing your full brand identity (verbal identity included) can be the difference between “one more apartment building” and “The Wheelhouse Studios”.

Yes, it’s work, but we’re pretty sure it’s worth it. (See our post on multifamily branding ROI.)

EXPERIENTIAL BRANDING

Beyond reading and seeing the brand, it’s another trend to make your brand a full experience. 

Curating events – Use the community spaces and amenities. Think: a pickleball class followed by a friendly tournament—if you’ve got a court.

Look in the Neighborhood – Get strategic about your local partnerships. There could be a restaurant you do business with regularly—catering events, offering gift cards, and plenty more. Or, if you’re a pet-friendly community, consider having an adoption event, or putting together a volunteer-based event to help raise awareness for a local animal shelter. 

Most of all—if you’re claiming to be for the “active” type residents, put on sporty activities. If you’re all about Fido, support those who have and love dogs with fundraisers and events. When you align the lifestyle brand with your marketing messaging, you find a way to stay “on brand” and get residents and prospects excited about being part of your community. (Consistency is always key to loyalty.)

Brand Design

The above trends might be things that don’t feel like classic “brand” to you—but they’re just as important. But given that our founder Stacey (who began her journey as a photographer) is way more into the visual side of things…while paying plenty of attention to the verbal and experiential side—the trends in 2025 brand design are much more up her alley. So here they are!

LOGO DESIGN

Where there once was iconography and imagery (think teeny little pictures) now we’re seeing a lot more unique, custom lettering. Typography is the focus, and it’s strategically crafted to tell the story. It might be curvy or poky or look higher-end, just based on the choice of serif or sans-serif, and whatever other embellishments the designer uses on the logo. 

Overall, symbolism is being folded into the design with a lot more subtlety and abstraction than before.

One interesting version of this is a more modernized version of the “ransom note lettering” of 90s magazines—essentially mixing sizes, styles, fonts, and colors to create a collection of interesting lines and shapes to create a single word.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Competition makes all of us a bit sharper. So when brand design element look like everyone else’s, that can be an issue. A few trends are on the horizon for 2025 to combat this a bit:

Bold & Vibrant – With AI-generated images flooding the internet, brand elements have to speak louder to get attention and to keep it. Not loud and bright for its own sake—but done with taste and purpose. (Meaning: keep your IRP in mind! Don’t just let your brand jump off a bridge because everyone else is doing it!) 

The reason this is so cool is because there’s something familiar about it, but it’s a new take on art nouveau—which folds in the modernized context it had back in its ’20s heyday but also gives us some sense of natural elements.

Tell the story with imagery – It’s called show-and-tell for a reason! The textures, layers, illustrations you choose will be part of the story. It can give a specific vibe, or it might take away from it. Usually best to have a professional help you with this bit. 

This works because there’s a level of personal, nostalgic flair. With everyone very into “the way it used to be” and needing brands that speak directly to “who they are” this is a one-way ticket into emotional connection with your resident.

Large Text – Tell the message and supersize it! A trend we expect to see more of: simply using type as a design element, making the font huge and making the message powerful.

Note: Of course trends come and go and come back around again. Nothing here is necessarily new, but it’s usually in response to some other trend.

COLOR

Everyone’s up in arms about Pantone’s color of the year. And, to be honest, the “evocative warm brown” of Mocha Mousse leaves a little to be desired. But it’s truly neutral, and a little calming, and it’s all just opinion, anyway.


Sherwin Williams – For trends, we’re looking at the 2025 Sherwin Williams’ colors of the year. 

There are more to choose from, and they work really beautifully together or alone. Paint and interiors are part of this trend, of course, so if you’re a multifamily brand, pay attention. 

Working with the interior design is always better than working around it or against it. Don’t let things clash, and choose colors that compliment what’s there. Bold and bright are totally fine, but make sure the hues are in harmony.

Trends for 2025 trends in multifamily branding and design…not a lot is new here. But it takes a little more effort (and budget) from our branding and marketing teams to get your multifamily brand crafted and fully aligned. Again: completely worth it.

*Images in this article are sourced from: https://www.vistaprint.com/hub/graphic-design-trends

Affordable Housing, Meet Affordable Branding

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Affordable Housing, Meet Affordable Branding

Every apartment community should have a brand identity. And we’d include affordable housing in that statement. However, making branding affordable for lower-income housing is more of a challenge. But: even with limited resources, branding can make an impact for affordable housing.

Affordable housing communities have different marketing needs and budgets compared to their conventional housing counterparts. But even affordable housing communities should seek a brand identity that’s all their own—so residents can have a fuller living experience, too.

The Uniqueness of Affordable Housing

Affordable housing has a few differences from conventional, and keeping those differences in mind can help your marketing choices—from budget to branding.

OCCUPANCY BENEFITS

With rents being subsidized for lower income residents at affordable housing communities (or units) it’s more than likely to have a waitlist for residents. Community property managers aren’t necessarily facing any vacancy issues, since there are plenty of applicants and hopeful prospective residents. 

Additionally, because of the waitlist, and with vacancy issues being virtually non-existent, marketing lower-income housing simply requires less effort.

BUDGET CONSTRAINTS

For all the pluses of affordable housing, there are certainly some downsides. A lower-effort marketing need often translates to little to no budget for marketing those affordable housing communities. 

An added challenge nestled within those budget constraints: Not all affordable housing is standalone. It’s sometimes offered as some percentage of affordable units (say, 20-40%) in the context of a larger building filled with conventionally priced units—which is a requirement placed on developers by some cities, counties, and/or states.

These “mixed-income properties”, as they’re called, sometimes have property teams fall into the trap of lumping branding in with marketing. But: the branding should be there from the start, as part of the construction or building process. Brand identity should come a long time before marketing.

BRANDING IMPACT

Every community should be branded, regardless of whether it is mixed-income or is only affordable housing. It will make a huge difference…because while occupancy may not be suffering, that’s not the only thing branding is for. 

Branding creates an experience and develops trust through consistency. This matters for every resident, whether they’re paying market rents or not. Every resident deserves a thoughtful experience and your full attention.

Affordable Branding Strategies

With budgets being restrictive and limiting, it’s helpful to look at creative approaches to keep your affordable housing branding—well—affordable.

CORPORATE LEVEL BRANDING

You might choose to brand your properties all in the same way, similar to corporate property management or an ownership company. That’s instead of a full brand identity at the property level for an affordable community. It’s one solution! Check out more on corporate branding for multifamily on another one of our blogs.

SMALLER SCALE BRANDING

Not in the budget? Scale it back. The time may be now and the place may be with affordable communities. At Zipcode Creative, we offer an Essential Brand Package because we know that every property should be branded, but not every property has the needs or the budget for the biggest package. So we tailor it to fit your needs, realistically.

In our essential brand package, we include:

  • Naming – 3 name options with logic and check for availability
  • Verbal Identity – Tagline Development and Headline Library
  • Visual Identity – 2 Logo concepts, a color palette, and typography

Along with this, we’ll provide a brand guide/style sheet, folders of individual assets, and logos in file types used for both print and digital. It’s everything a community needs to get their brand locked in. For more details, check out the brand packages Zipcode Creative offers here.

Bear in mind: the essentials really are the basics of brand development, the bare minimum we believe you’ll need. You shouldn’t immediately go for the simpler stuff, it’s just one option to have excellent branding at a lower price point. We’ll help guide you towards what’s going to work best for you.

Branding for Affordable Housing Still Matters

As we pointed out before, affordable housing communities should still get a fair shake with branding.

RESIDENT EXPERIENCE

Residents, no matter their income, should have a thoughtfully branded community that welcomes them. When a community lacks branding—it misses out on the sense of pride that can be shared among its residents. The sense of community might be lacking because the branding doesn’t solidify what the apartment community “stands for” or values. With a brand clearly delineated, it’s easier to make sense of what to expect—which can mean a lot to any resident.

Additionally, with attention to detail (think: well-thought out branding) residents will feel more confident that your community actually cares and will meet their needs—in repairs, in maintenance, and in overall customer service. It’s part of your promise.

COMMUNITY IDENTITY

While there is a significant lack of affordable housing available for everyone who needs it in the U.S., there are still a number that you may be “competing” with. The role of branding may be even more important for affordable housing communities—not just to claim more residents than the competitors—but to foster loyalty among its residents. 

What Do You Need? Brand Quiz

The branding solutions for affordable communities should be just that! Affordable. With experience across several multifamily sectors (senior, student, conventional, affordable housing) we recognize that nothing is ever “one-size-fits-all.” 

That’s part of the reason we created our brand quiz. Use it to determine what branding scope is going to be best for your property, and see exactly how Zipcode Creative can help.

Create Your Own Personal Brand Voice

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Create Your Own Personal Brand Voice

At Zipcode Creative, we know that brand voice is tricky—how do you determine it, and how do you stay consistent? What is the right path to take? Take your own personal brand voice for starters.

What everyone really needs is a worksheet. Hard-hitting (but fun) questions to guide a brand into its truest shape.

Walk through the various bits and bobs with us—and note how it may shift based on the personal or professional side of things and see how your brand voice can come alive.

Attraction & Audience

Who do you most want to attract in your life?

For the personal side, you’ll focus more on who you share your life with in all its ups and downs, so: a life partner, a mentor, or a coach. If you want to keep things professional with this question, think of the people you’ll see almost every day: co-workers, boss or company, or mentor.

A consideration that comes close on the heels of those questions is: 


What qualities should the people I want to attract have?

When you think through who you want to attract—and what qualities they have, this gives some insight into:

  1. What you feel you may be lacking (something to complement you)
  2. Who you think is most desirable to be around

Core Values

What are the things most vital to living your life the way you think it ought to be lived? Is it honesty? Gratitude? Entrepreneurial spirit? Giving? What things are at your very core? Those are your core values—the things that you would still cling to if everything else got stripped away.

For the professional side, it’s good to investigate your key accomplishments. What has been your greatest success in your work? It may be small to some, but it’s vital to choose something that felt like a big deal to you, whether it was learning something completely new, or completely shattering a previous goal you’d set.

Passions and Skills

There’s so much more to any person than what they accomplish. Look at your top passions and interests. This shows your willingness to learn something new, and shows your interest in things that are maybe typical, or just give more vibrancy to who you are—which is all part of your brand.

Your strengths and skills as a professional also help give color and shape to the professional side of your personal brand. A top strength is something that has maybe been part of your professional journey: You got better at managing others because you had a boss that wasn’t the best, and you learned how not to do things. Maybe you have excellent budget skills because your parents brought you up to spend, save, and give, and your ability to make a budget work is highly desirable and something you enjoy. Again, all part of your personal brand, even if it shows up with you at work.

Personality

This is the most fun part. Getting to know who you are, based on your own perception and what others have said about you, gives a clear picture of how you act, how you’ll likely act in specific situations, and your usual way of doing things. Every one of the following questions narrows down the details a little further.

Descriptors – What words describe your personality? This can point to what you know about yourself and what others have said about you—both personally and in your professional sphere.

Celebrity Swap – Who would you want to swap places with (think Freaky Friday)? Who do you find fascinating, and why?

Dream Car – Color, year, details. The more specific you are, the better understanding of your personal and professional brand.

Fashion Forward – A favorite fashion brand (and why) brings insight into the aspirational. Whether you prefer funky or modern or classic, this says a lot about you!

Weekend Plans – What’s your ideal or favorite weekend activity? If you mostly want to play board games, drink tea, and knit, that tells a different story than if you want to go four-wheeling, hunting, and grilling.

Music Match – Your favorite genre of music gives a little more color to your personal brand. Upbeat classical? Old timey country? 90s R&B? Post-modern shoegaze pop? It all puts different shades on your brand.

Your True Era – If you could time travel—which era would you aim for? Or would you stay right here, right now? This has more to do with your interests rather than your ideals, likely, but gives an interesting spin on what you value and what you’re curious about.

The Worksheet

Here is your worksheet, in two pages – just save the images! 

Corporate Brand Voice

HOW TO

Now that you’ve seen the research and understanding that goes into developing a personal brand (whether taking the personal or professional angle) it might be easier to understand how a brand voice is strategized.

You’d consider and clarify:

  • Brand Goals (similar to personal hopes/dreams)
  • Target Client/Customer Persona (who you most want to attract)
  • Your Brand Differentiators
    • Mission/Vision/Values
    • Purpose
    • Core Values
    • Goals
    • Company Culture
  • Brand Personality & Voice
    • Archetypes
    • Attributes
    • Tone of Voice
    • Vocabulary
    • Positioning
    • Tagline/Copywriting
  • Brand Personality Slider
    • Note: The cool thing about the slider is that you don’t have to fully skew one way or the other, you can be balanced between casual and elegant—or you can be relatively complex without going full complicated

IMPLEMENTATION

It’s likely that your corporate brand voice was (or will be) created in a small circle of “trust” in the company. But when it’s time to get everyone else bought in and trained, that full brand implementation (and carrying out your brand voice) is going to be intrinsic to your success with continuity and consistency. 

How do you teach others to embody your brand voice? If you’ve created a “founder” brand, wherein the personal brand and corporate brand are nearly one and the same—you can train your team members directly on the voice of your founder.

At Zipcode Creative, for example, we’re a founder brand. That means that Stacey Feeney is Zipcode Creative, and everything is written from her personality and perspective. 

This looks like:

  • Quick, friendly email replies: “You got it!” or “Roger that!”
  • Lots of exclamation points in email communications (with rereading to make sure it’s not over the top)
  • Demeanor focused on service—to help clients with anything needed, big or small
  • Being honest, open, and transparent

Stacey is front and center, and everyone is trained in her voice—that keeps things consistent and trustworthy.

(Keep in mind: that’s just one approach!)

Apartment Community First Impressions

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing, Writing. No Comments on Apartment Community First Impressions

Today, digital first impressions are the main way you’ll get a first impression as an apartment community. So, your website needs to be ready to catch some eyes, pique some curiosity, and answer some questions. Billboards are still out there, sure, but websites are the new billboard. The homepage header text is the billboard tagline. The imagery is the eye-catcher. The contact us page is the phone number at the bottom. For apartment community first impressions, potential residents are about to have their perceptions shaped—does your community speak to them and meet their criteria?

According to Census.gov, renters who moved from 2019 to 2021 found places primarily through internet sites (like Craig’s List, apartment.com, realtor.com or Zillow) (46%) and through word of mouth (39.1%). More affluent renter households were more likely to use internet sites to find new rentals. (54.3% compared to the 30.2% below the poverty level).


When you head to an internet site or hear about a place—the next step is clicking the link to the property website, or Googling the apartment community until you find it.

So:
There’s no better place to be than where your prospects are LOOKING. So: Learn how to “set the tone” for future interactions using your brand paired with your website to make an excellent first impression to help their decision-making process.

Branded Website = Power

BRANDING REVIEW

A brand is great because of the work that’s put into it, and the consistency the team maintains.
At Zipcode Creative, we take great pride in asking the right questions, doing the research (on your ideal resident) and crafting brand guidelines that align with your vision and with your target resident. See the ingredients for the secret sauce to apartment branding here.

A good brand has all the makings of a fantastic first impression:

  • Name – Research on your IRP, history, and locale along with availability for URLs and socials helps us narrow this down and make it uncommon, memorable, and relatable
  • Logo – Whether a refresh or a strategic new design, it will be made to grab attention, portray professionalism, and tell your story (in the shortest way possible)
  • Visual Identity – 55% of brand first impressions are visual, and it only takes 50 milliseconds for consumers to judge the visual appeal of your brand. The color palette, typography, icons, and plenty more keep you recognizable.
  • Verbal Identity – Voice and tone development helps you indicate your brand through your words. Your messaging and how you say it. Taglines, headlines, phrasing.

When you have all the pieces, you’re ready to set up your website to impress.

WEBSITE AS BRANDING PLATFORM

The website you create is how you can showcase your brand. On it you can show off your brand personality and engage the audience you want to target using your well-developed visuals and perfectly precise messaging.

Visual Branding on the Website

THE RIGHT PLATFORM?

When it comes to creating your website, there are a few “typical” ways to go. You might choose a template website, or go all in for your brand with a custom site design. Depending on which way you go, we’d recommend Jonah Digital for template sites and RESI for template and custom sites. Both offer beautiful options that provide the integration you’ll need to use with your property management system.

BRAND VISUALS TO STAND OUT

The main reason your brand must be developed before you set to work on your website is to enable your community to stand out. There are so many websites these days. And competition for apartment communities is only getting stiffer. Strategize by making your brand different—and consistent. Your brand visuals should resonate with the prospects you’re targeting so you can create conversions using your best marketing tool: your website. 

A note on template sites: Using brand visuals to stand out is particularly important if you’re using a template site that’s similar to your competitors. Work on making your template site (if that’s the type of website you’ve chosen) to be as custom-looking as possible. Curate your imagery carefully and adjust the design to set it apart.

Brand Voice on the Website

Making sure that all your bases are covered with your brand voice can help keep things consistent and recognizable. There are no sharp left turns with the messaging that throw off your website visitors. And if you craft your voice right and address the proper pain points (while offering solutions) you become the answer for your prospects, encouraging them to engage with you.

SEO VS. BRAND VOICE

If you want to make a good first impression, you have to be found through search, as well. This means finding the right balance between SEO-focused content and ensuring your brand voice still comes through. Optimize and engage—that’s a tall order, but it will get eyeballs on your site, and your brand voice will keep them there. Learn more about striking the right chords with your content and using SEO and brand voice to capture and engage.

CRAFT COMPELLING COPY

To make a good first impression is one thing. That’s usually up to good SEO and interesting visuals. But your copy will keep your website visitors on the website. To create attention-grabbing copy, try the following tips:

Write for short attention spans – Apartment hunters don’t have time to sit and read something super long. Get to the point.

Write scannable text – Give ‘em the highlight reel, with bullet points and clear headers.

Use simple, familiar words – It’s not the time to show off your fantastical lexicon…er, amazing vocabulary. Be approachable (generally) and keep with your brand personality.

Cut the fluff – Make your sentences short and sweet. If you can get the point across with what you’ve said, don’t add any more. EDIT!

Make a Lasting Impression

According to PERQ, website leads are more likely to book a tour and sign a lease than leads from any other source—across the board, for the past two years.

That means your website has a lot of heavy lifting to do. Make a memorable impression on the site visitors. Strategize around the user journey. Answer their questions. Encourage them to take the next step with a clear call-to-action: Schedule a Tour Today!

Start your relationship off with your prospects on the right foot.
Capture with SEO.
Attract with visuals.

Engage with verbal messaging.

And before you do any of it:
Ensure your branding is up to the task.

Brand recognition can lead to conversion, whether for tours or leases. Invest in your branding so your website works for you.

Brand Implementation is the Key to Success

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Brand Implementation is the Key to Success

A well-developed brand is only theory until it’s seen and experienced in the wild. Brand implementation for multifamily is the key to success—to set your community apart and stand out against the comps.

If your brand is fully developed—visual, verbal, experiential—and everything is laid out and planned, it doesn’t matter at all unless and until it’s carried out. Pay attention to how you implement your brand across every channel and touchpoint. For example, consider how your onsite team is carrying out your branding. They’re not marketers, but they’re certainly part of your brand perception for both residents and prospects.

Brand Consistency Comes Through Training

If they’re an employee with your community, they’ll play a part in the brand perception. Everyone who touches the brand should fully “get” the brand—through how they’re treated by upper management, and through how they’re familiar with the visual and verbal identity aspects of the community brand to, in turn, be able to speak to residents within the brand voice.

TRAINING

If your teams don’t “get” the brand, they weren’t trained properly. Ensure nothing falls between the cracks and use tools and training to get your whole team on board.

Corporate training – Bring in the marketing team to train everyone. Make room for questions to ensure full understanding of brand elements and guidelines (so, questions like “Why?” are definitely welcome here). Give some background into choices and ensure the mission and vision are crystal clear. Give examples of what it looks like in action, too.

Use the tools – Using the Canva Brand Kit will help streamline your visuals. Using ChatGPT can help corporate take control over the brand execution—particularly if you create fill-in-the-blank brand voice prompts, like: “Please write a ______ in our brand voice that is youthful and quirky.” This is particularly helpful to create a starting point if you don’t have a branding team with a copywriter helping at every turn. 

Make Marketing Materials Cohesive

Your prospects should be able to see and feel and experience your brand in a cohesive way no matter where they are in the (sales) funnel, and no matter where they are in their resident journey, whether researching apartments or living there, from online search to in-person tours. That’s done through brand consistency.

TOUCHPOINTS FOR BRAND CONSISTENCY

When does consistency matter? All the time. That’s how you reach peak brand awareness. But it’s particularly helpful to make sure you have these bases covered:


Digital presence – Messaging and visuals must maintain the brand identity. This is usually the first point of interaction for prospects. So ensure your website, socials, and digital ads all add up to the same brand!


Physical marketing collateral – Everything that has your name on it should be immediately recognizable. Every handout, every brochure, every sign should be completely cohesive with the brand’s look and feel.

Surroundings (Details and Decor) – Don’t stop at your stationery and website. Bring your brand all the way into your interiors. The décor and lobby styling should reinforce your brand (not clash). Bring the color palette into the paint choices, or artwork, or throw pillows (or all three).

Basically: Attention to detail will get you on the right track, and keep you there. Implementing brand guidelines consistently, and you’ll be able to build trust with your prospects.

Keep the Brand Promise to Residents

Now that your prospects have turned into residents, your branding work is far from done. The trust you’ve built with your prospects should NOW turn into the loyalty you build with your residents. Maintaining your brand is done in part by the actual experience of living at your community.

WHY KEEP THE BRAND PROMISE?

Loyalty stems from a positive experience. When something is good, we want more of it. Hence, another lease renewal, or a handful of referrals. Seeing a pattern of this? Your brand is on the right track, keeping the brand promise—what you say you’ll do and actually doing it.

GO BEYOND LEASING

Executing the brand isn’t just about arriving at the signature on the lease. Like we said before, it’s for far more touch points than that. It also includes:


Staff Interactions – They’re the true embodiment of the brand. Their greetings, their body language, their email messaging should all be part of an experience that is fully in line with the brand’s values.

Community Standards – If you have the correct color signage, but it’s poorly lit, that’s not a good look. Ensure maintenance and updates happen regularly so that hard work in branding your community isn’t totally detracted from. Focus on quality, cleanliness, and style—all in keeping the vibe of your brand.

Amenities and Events – Choose events that work within your brand and don’t feel “off”. Amenities should have been chosen to differentiate you—now make sure they’re a fully positive experience that helps residents make lasting memories.

You can see just how well your brand is “working” in your community based on the renewal rates and referrals that come in. If your resident is satisfied, they’re not looking for the greener grass. They’re telling their friends that your community is where the grass is truly green. Retain them!


Get beyond the logo and aim for the heart of your brand. Train your personnel to ensure it’s coming through in human interaction. Create tools to make it easier. Keep your brand promises. Implement your branding and enforce it (gently) regularly. When the branding is done authentically, with buy-in, it’s a lot easier to sell the whole community as the place to live.

Corporate Branding for Multifamily—Part 2: Rebrand vs. Refresh

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Corporate Branding for Multifamily—Part 2: Rebrand vs. Refresh

Now: we’ve covered brand goals, types, and loyalty for corporate brands. It’s time to figure out the when/why of the multifamily corporate branding and whether you need a full rebrand or if a refresh will help you achieve your goals.

Corporate Rebrand vs. Refresh

Is it time to get a better corporate brand? Or do you simply need a brand refresh?
Go through the following sections to have a better handle on when to do it, why you should, and whether a full rebrand or a simpler refresh could work for your multifamily corporate brand.

WHEN/WHY

  • If your multifamily corporate brand is changing the services offered—time to rebrand. 
  • If your portfolio is shifting (up, to Class A, for example) you’ll want to consider a rebrand.
  • If you’ve created new brand goals—a rebrand may be in the cards.
  • If the existing brand is not strong enough (you only have a logo and colors)—a rebrand could do a world of good.
  • If your reputation is not great or you’re under new management

REBRAND

If, for example, your brand is shifting up into Class A properties, a rebrand could fit into the equation pretty well.

To do this, you’d look to do the following:

  • Rename the company

or

  • Redesign the logo; and
  • Create new visual and verbal identities

REFRESH

If your brand is in decent shape or you don’t want to lose the brand recognition you’ve already built, but it could use a little shine, a brand refresh may work to help boost your corporate brand.

To refresh your corporate brand, you’d:

  • Keep the existing logo or modernize it while maintaining recognition; and
  • Change or expand the visual and verbal identities

Corporate Brand Rollout

Once the corporate brand is ready to go, plan as much ahead as you can. Implementation can happen relatively seamlessly if you’re focused on creating clear guidelines, providing proper training to employees, and understand from the inside out what it is your promising—and how best to keep it.

CLEARLY DEFINED GUIDELINES

A clear brand guideline will go a long way. Knowing exactly the brand voice, the colors, the logo usage, the patterns and textures—creates the path forward and keeps your brand headed in the right direction (no swerving, and no weird logo stretching.) Using a tool like Canva’s Brand Kit makes things really easy for non-professional designers who are charged with creating posts for social or crafting resident event announcements. A few clicks, and they’ll have the right colors, font, and styles at their fingertips.

START INSIDE

Employees – Your employees must believe in and trust the brand and have buy-in with the core values. They must feel they’re being treated with the values and priorities the brand is claiming. It’s clear when the culture and the brand don’t align—so ensuring that employees experience and agree with the brand is key to having the consistency and clarity in the online and in-person experience for anyone coming in contact with the brand.

Training – To enable full brand understanding and buy-in, training is vital. Brand messaging and personality are smack-dab in the midst of this. “How does your brand treat people?” should apply to your employees as well. This can come in the form of “we don’t say this, we say that” as well as proper logo usage, and how to add a logo to an email signature. Having access to the brand guidelines is also helpful for folks to be able to recognize (because they’ve become so familiar with it) when the brand lands properly in interactions and visuals—and when it’s off.

DELIVER THE PROMISE

To clients – Investors or owners want to know that you’ll be all that you say you’ll be. They’ll be looking closely into whether your corporate multifamily brand is the right fit (and doing some shopping around). So be clear and be consistent and build trust up from the beginning—the proof should always be in the pudding.
 

To residents – If you say you’re going to do something and be something as a brand, your residents (who are essentially your customers) will hold you to that. Stay the course, and continue training so that the brand you portray will be the brand that comes to life in their interactions and experience, from first phone call or email to lease signing to resident events. Even if your brand is well-developed, that continuity can come to a screeching halt when onsite staff doesn’t carry through the brand personality.

CONSISTENCY AND COHESION—EVERYWHERE

Consistency is key for brand recognition, and later: brand loyalty. Those who are brand loyal recognize who you are and what you do, and want to share it with others. From printed marketing collateral to how your employees answer the phone, make sure it’s cohesive across the board.

Now you know: when to rebrand vs. refresh for your corporate branding. And why it’s vital to leverage your brand in your training, employee treatment, and brand promise. Look at your audience. And brand like your leases depend on it.

Corporate Branding for Multifamily

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Corporate Branding for Multifamily

Corporate branding and community asset branding are similar…but not exactly the same in multifamily.

Multifamily corporate branding differs in its goals, audience, and the way it’s rolled out. But the strategy is much the same:

  • Get employee buy-in
  • Keep things consistent and clear
  • Maintain the brand promise

Let’s review all the aspects of corporate branding.

Goals of Corporate Branding

The goal with branding is to help a business—a company—be successful. But the steps to get to that point are less straightforward. There are four common groups and associated goals that will see your multifamily brand and need to resonate with it. Depending on who you want to attract, your goal may shift.


GROUP/GOAL 1: GET INVESTORS

Striking, consistent branding is a show of strength to investors—the effort you put in can display professionalism and what they can expect going forward if they’re looking to make a sound investment. If your company’s primary goal is to attract investors, they should be your target audience. Strategically develop the corporate brand to resonate with them while communicating the company’s services and capabilities to create trust.

GROUP/GOAL 2: SELL THIRD-PARTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO OWNERS

If you want to sell your third-party management services to owners, get your culture aligned. Similar to how any business owner vets and interviews potential employees—they’re a representation of your brand. Creating a clear corporate multifamily brand can help speed up the process of selling third-party management services to owners. The clearer a corporate brand is internally, the clearer it will likely be externally, with all your business transactions and partnerships.

GROUP/GOAL 3: WOO AND FILTER IN TOP-TIER EMPLOYEES

If you want to attract employees, make sure your brand is embedded in your culture. Not all employees are top–of-the-line. You have to attract or train them, and then: retain them. The branding in place can do this by helping create a culture around the corporate brand. When your culture is established, the corporate brand helps do some of the heavy lifting for you—the prospective employees may be able self-sort and be attracted by the brand that resonates with them. Additionally, your brand promise is lived out in how you interact and treat your staff. They won’t believe a word of your “We want everyone to feel at home” mission statement if you berate your employees.

GROUP/GOAL 4: ATTRACT AND RETAIN RESIDENTS

If your main goal is to get leases signed, make sure your brand is air-tight. Seeing a corporate brand that has its stuff together is good for a number of reasons—residents will have some semblance of brand recognition, and your management company’s portfolio may end up being top-of-mind for the residents when they have to relocate if they’ve already had a good experience at another community your corporate brand is managing.

Also: If you’re aiming to make your brand more resident-facing (more details on brand visibility in the next section) and your website will function as a “mini ILS” to show off a searchable version of your portfolio of properties, you’ll want to gear your messaging and brand toward the end user.


Corporate Brand Visibility at Property Level

Say you saw a sign for “Sunseeker Hills—Managed by Zenith Properties”. Does that feel out of place? Normal? Too much? Not enough? How should a corporate brand show up at the property level? That completely depends on the owner, the operator, the desires of both.

Depending on how your corporate brand wants to show up will initiate its visibility level.

RESIDENT FACING

If you want residents to have clear knowledge of the property management company that operates the building, make your brand more visible. This can come at a variety of levels:

Light – The brand may appear minimally in resident announcements, and staff may wear corporate branded attire (think “Managed by X Companies” in smaller lettering underneath the asset name, for example.

Medium – For a little more visibility, having “Property Name by Corporate Brand” stated on everything brings it up a notch—all collateral marketing and signage. This level of visibility makes it clear to prospects and residents alike who operates the building.

Heavy – For the most visibility, brand the properties as the corporate brand (like hotels) or a portfolio-wide brand. This will propel brand awareness and recognition in the market

BEHIND THE SCENES

There’s also the option to have your corporate brand completely independent of your property brand. If you want to keep them separate and have the operating brand kept behind the scenes, that’s a totally fine and valid choice. Note: If the residents don’t see the corporate brand, it should still be developed and maintained for groups beyond the resident (investors, owners, operators).

Types of Property Brands

Of course, not all property brands are the same. From sharing a logo to being completely independent (on appearance)—there are a few paths a property brand can take.

CORPORATE BRANDED

Corporate branded properties have a property brand which is the same as the corporate brand. Same name, same logo, same visual identity.

PORTFOLIO BRANDED

Portfolio branded communities are all branded the same as one another, but still individual from the corporate brand. From one property to the next, the name, logo and visual identity are the same, but the corporate brand is entirely independent and different.

PORTFOLIO NAMED

With portfolio named properties, each property has a twist on one name—they are individual brand identities, but have the same Portfolio name. Yet, it’s still individual from the corporate brand. In this case “Alta” is the portfolio name.

PROPERTY BRANDED

This is currently the most common way to manage corporate brands and property brands. The property brand is fully individual from the corporate brand and other properties owned or managed by the same company. They don’t look or sound related.

Creating Corporate Brand Loyalty

Every brand—whether in multifamily or another industry—needs to create brand loyalty. Crafting corporate brand loyalty requires a more specific strategy, attuned to the right audience.

AFFORDABILITY

Making costs transparent, and making pricing simple is part of the key to affordability (and building up a reputation as a corporate brand that cares). Keep it simple and straightforward without nickel-and-diming with deposits and fees all up and down your leasing charges. Even if you’re a luxury brand.

REWARDS PROGRAMS

Speaking of hotels, creating brand loyalty can stem from a robust rewards program. At hotels, you can often claim rewards from staying at the same corporate brand (Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy, for example). These rewards could help you earn discounts or a free stay, depending on how much you use them. Similarly, a corporate brand may create a rewards program for someone renewing for another year, referring a friend, or simply paying rent on time.

Though it’s not always the best bang for your buck, Starbucks Rewards work in that it keeps people coming back—because they can earn double stars on specific drinks or at particular times or days. Getting something free makes us a little blind on how much we’re spending to get that free coffee.

WELLNESS INITIATIVES

Taking into account mental and physical health can help create a culture shift in your brand. 

Consider offering different programs like:

  • A Mental Health Day – A day staff can take off for mental health, even if more for corporate employees can show residents the company cares for the total wellbeing of the employees
  • Classes and Services at the Fitness Center – A fully rounded health experience can go beyond gym equipment
  • Health Education – Bringing in local professionals to teach classes or guide residents through meditation
  • Information for Mental Health – The more assistance with hotlines and local services you offer, the clearer it is that your brand truly cares

PHILANTHROPIC INVOLVEMENT

This is a big one. Seeing a corporation do good in the world brings all the warm fuzzies. If you know that paying a little more for one brand will help you support them bringing better food access to those in need—you may be convinced that your extra dollars are money well-spent.

Showing this community involvement can be a little tricky, but looking at what your audience cares most about can help you find a few causes that align.


Depending on your target audience, your goals for your multifamily corporate branding may shift in strategy. But keep your brand solid and steady.

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Brand for Differentiation: A Case Study of Paragon Ranch

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Brand for Differentiation: A Case Study of Paragon Ranch

Being able to brand for differentiation can be used to your complete and full advantage—if you know how to wield it. For Zipcode Creative client, Paragon Ranch, it was vital to find a way to serve up differentiation to attract the right residents. It came in the somewhat-unlikely form of pickleball (the fastest growing sport in the U.S.)

Paragon Ranch is a newly launched multifamily development just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s attracting prospective residents who want to lead a more elite lifestyle, in a way that is attainable. So finding outside-of-the-box recreational amenities to offer, like pickleball and golf, was a good way to create interest and demand.

Follow along as we walk through the ways high-value experiences can create brand differentiation (and how), especially at Paragon Ranch.

Background and Context

ABOUT PARAGON RANCH

Paragon Ranch is the first new build of its kind in the area in a decade. It brings exceptional service and is targeted to both young professionals and empty nesters. Being located close to the city and to nature allows residents to find a good balance between work and play. 

The goal of Paragon Ranch was to create a spacious, sanctuary-like living experience to get away from never-ending home maintenance to-do lists and pressing work deadlines—to focus solely on leisure.

TRENDS IN MULTIFAMILY AMENITIES

Unique amenities are popping up everywhere. Pickleball, which used to be the domain of senior living offerings, is now becoming much more popular in conventional communities. The active tennis-badminton sport is suddenly resonating with a younger, more diverse audience—including the young professional audience that Paragon Ranch was working toward capturing. Golf is also popular with the younger set, and Paragon Ranch’s amenities feature a golf simulator, as well.

LOCATION ANALYSIS

Given Paragon Ranch’s location, between plenty of outdoor recreational adventures, it’s able to draw a demographic that’s focused on sports, and values both outdoor activities and social experiences. Pickleball can’t be played alone—so creating the opportunity for teamwork and physical activity was an ideal amenity offering.

Research and Strategy

Of course, what good is an amenity if you’re not sure how it will land with the ideal residents?

INSIGHT GATHERING

By gathering research focused on the local demographic and their interests, we were able to help Paragon Ranch inform the branding. We specifically discovered a heavy local interest in (and passion for):

  • Sports
  • Recreation
  • Golf
  • Outdoor activities in fair weather

Taking each of these and lining it up with the community brand’s goals and messaging was a surefire way to give the people—that the community wanted—what they want. We used research to our advantage, and it helped form the ideal resident profile we could more closely target. With more data and knowledge, comes better strategy and improved differentiation.

IMPORTANCE OF IRP (IDEAL RESIDENT PROFILE)

The IRP shaped every bit of our branding efforts—knowing what kind of voice would resonate with them, identifying what priorities needed to be, and what kinds of values would make sense to reach the IRP. Making sure the branding worked with the prospective residents’ preferences and lifestyle aspirations (relaxation, outdoor activity, social time) helped us guide the amenity offerings and focus the messaging around what would be most vital to the community’s success.

LINKING STRATEGY AND DIFFERENTIATION

As we’ve noted before in other blogs and posts, competition is fierce out there in the multifamily world. Crafting a way to differentiate your brand is the best set-yourself-apart strategy we can think of. 

By using pickleball as an amenity focus (aligning with the IRP’s priorities and desires) we’re helping place Paragon Ranch top-of-mind for prospects. It’s not common for communities to place a pickleball court front and center in their lineup of offerings. But that’s how Paragon Ranch is going to stake its unique claim.

Brand Development and Concept

VISUAL AND VERBAL CONCEPTS

Based on a country club experience with amenities on par with something exclusive and sporty—the core of the brand gets combined with accessible distinction. By creating refined and aspirational messaging focused on outdoor options and sport-related amenities, Paragon Ranch was crafted to attract sports and outdoor enthusiasts.

Visually, the fonts recall an old school sport uniform script. The logomark echoes the lines of sport courts. The stock photos use pickleball as a focal point. Everything about it says: active and luxe-lite.

The brand voice itself used some aspects to steer clear of too-casual or silly of a brand voice. By using brand attributes like “timeless” “connected” and “optimistic” the brand voice could stay grounded and have wide appeal, but still offer a professional and engaging tone. This gave a sense of the quality of lifestyle that residents could look forward to at Paragon Ranch.

FUTURE EXECUTION

As for implementing these brand identity elements, Paragon Ranch hasn’t yet opened for pre-leasing, but is expected in 2025. When pre-leasing begins, telling the full brand story and using every (branded) visual at their disposal will help them enhance their differentiation. 

For example, for every marketing channel, there’s a way to weave in that “elite” sporting theme. From pickleball tournament resident events to golf gear giveaways for new leases signed, the strategy options are endless. 

Paragon Ranch is paving the way with multifamily branding with recreational amenities as part of its core identity. By using a brand strategy to attract residents that want what they offer, they’ve set up their community to stand out in the market.

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Multifamily Brand Activation

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Multifamily Brand Activation

A brand gets built, and fully developed to set a property apart. But what happens if it’s never put to work, and activation happens too late?

Brand activation is crucial to drive engagement and create a successful leasing machine in multifamily. If you don’t allow space and opportunity for a brand to connect with its desired audience, the value prospects place on your brand won’t be strong or stable.

Instead: create a marketing strategy that builds up your brand’s image and encourages your prospects and residents to take action. Brands today often have fewer physical touchpoints. Activating the brand early brings it to life, creating brand awareness for your prospective residents.

There are six key disciplines within brand activation worth exploring. Keep reading if your brand is “ready to connect”.

When to Activate Your Brand

Marketing teams shouldn’t wait until the last minute to activate their brand. Brand activation should be part of the equation from the start. Historically, maybe you did “fine” in the past without pre-leasing so early—but what worked before might not keep working in your favor. 

EARLY ACTIVATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION

When building a new ground-up development, that community’s brand activation should be integral from the beginning, with brand development occurring 18-24 months before the first units are delivered.

For example, once the brand is established, create an interest list landing page (“Interested in living at Palms Place? Drop your email here, and you’ll be the first to know when our units are ready to lease!”). Then begin driving traffic to it through all forms of brand activation—see the next section.

WHY ONGOING ACTIVATION IS KEY

Lease-up period calls for activation. But after the lease-up hits your goals…deactivate? No! Don’t ever “deactivate” your brand. While your occupancy may be high, failing to continue to activate your brand through various channels can lessen your “top of mind” status for your residents and prospects. When a brand is at the top of a list, that’s the worst time to rest on your laurels. Continue marketing and maintaining brand awareness for prospects—it’s the best way to keep occupancy up.

The Six Disciplines of Multifamily Brand Activation

#1 COMMERCE MARKETING

How a company goes about generating commerce is commerce marketing—making the connection between the product (apartment units) and sales (leases signed). 

How can you achieve this with multifamily communities?

Online, activate the brand using the community website. Align it fully with your brand’s visual and verbal identity, and make sure that it’s consistent across channels so your prospects recognize and trust you.

In person, activate the brand in the physical spaces of your community with branded signage, interior design/art, and printed collateral. Your move-in guides, welcome packets, and clubhouse lobby should all feel cohesive. (This is where your prospects are deciding whether to sign the lease.) And if you’re under construction, fence banners, leasing trailer banners, and “Coming Soon” signs near intersections are all part of it!

#2 CONTENT MARKETING

The best way to be top of mind for your prospects is through proving your usefulness. Engage your prospective residents with content that they want to have. This could look like tips on moving, furnishing small spaces, how to keep up with a young professional lifestyle, and plenty of neighborhood “hit lists”.

Brands that feel more relevant to their target audience have likely created useful content. This can be accomplished through timely blog posts, creative social media, and email newsletters. If you want your brand to be sought-after, make yourself useful.

(Likewise, if you want your brand to be recognizable, be consistent across your channels with brand voice and tone.)

#3 EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

“And how did that make you feel?” is no longer just a line reserved for therapists addressing their clients. It could now appear in a post-marketing experience survey

Create events that prompt residents and prospects to take action. When residents can interact with the brand through an in-person community event, your brand has the opportunity to make a lasting impression.

By hosting neighborhood pop-up events (like a volunteer sign-up fair for local nonprofits!) you can show off the community’s friendly, neighborly spirit. Other ideas, like fitness classes or food truck gatherings can bring your community together and create a stronger feeling of connectedness. If community is part of your brand, plan to prioritize these types of events. 

P.S. Bonus points if it’s “instagram-worthy” with decor or giveaways—that could get you more traction with the next brand activation tactic.

#4 INFLUENCER MARKETING

While this idea of “influencers” is a bit polarizing, it’s still a way to connect on an emotional level with your prospects and residents—because it’s deeply human.

Real residents can be your brand advocates. By using their testimonials to make content, you can step to the side and let their experience speak volumes. Choose your most loyal, satisfied residents to help you with this.

Pro-tip: Try partnering with Rentgrata. They enable residents to share their experiences directly with prospects. Creating transparency and access is a huge step toward trust and loyalty (and future brand ambassadors).

#5 PROMOTION MARKETING

Everyone loves a deal. Costco gives out samples. Grocery stores mail coupons. B2C companies create sweepstakes: “Win a $15,000 home makeover!”

But how can multifamily brands better activate using promotions? Time it right. Create incentives and special offers that promote your community before you think you need to. Use promotions to activate earlier and with more frequency. For example, for pre-leasing, drive urgency: “If you’re the first to reserve a new unit, you get a $150 gift card!”

Again: everyone loves to get more for less—so if you create a promotion, try it through multiple channels and see what sticks. This could be time-based (lease by the end of October and get one month free rent!) or referral based: “Tell a friend, and get a $200 gift card when they sign a 12-month lease.” 

Run the promotions through direct mail, social media ads, email campaigns (or newsletters) and through digital display ads.

Generally, once your promotion has run its course, your prospect should feel happy enough with the value they received that they will want to stay. The promotion is the way to get them (or their friend) in the door.

#6 RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

The human element of marketing cannot be underestimated. Your leasing agents are the bread and butter of your brand—the original brand ambassadors.

Each interaction, each phone call, each tour—they all add up into a total brand experience. Every positive interaction with a prospect is an opportunity to build up your brand on a human connection (sometimes in person) and solidify in actuality the culture you’ve built in theory.

This looks like: training leasing staff to understand your mission, vision and values—particularly as it relates to customer service, and personal touches during tours, follow-ups, and resident events.

How to, Really: Multifamily Brand Activation

What does multifamily brand activation look like in the real world? It’s likely less complicated than you think.

An excellent brand + marketing strategy = brand activation

For example, an urban luxury community could create a pre-leasing landing page and set up a targeted influencer campaign at the same time. Create a brand, then create buzz.

Or, a community in the suburbs might focus on experiential marketing through hosting monthly resident events. By showing off their resident events on their website and social channels, it helps residents feel connected through the events and develops excitement for prospects.

Brand activation should be continuous. Just as you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) take too long a pause from updating your social media feeds, you shouldn’t assume that your brand will remain top of mind without consistent marketing. Continue to engage prospects and residents so your brand maintains its status and keeps your leasing pipeline running smoothly.

If you’re not sure which brand activation method to choose—or you have something in mind but don’t have the time or energy to get it done—reach out to Zipcode Creative. We’re happy to help you create a tailored brand and leverage your marketing strategy to activate your multifamily brand.

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Brand Awareness for Multifamily Communities

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing. 1 Comment on Brand Awareness for Multifamily Communities

Brand awareness for multifamily is tough. How can you measure it, exactly? Sure, residents may mention your community or brand by name in reviews or social posts, but even then it becomes difficult to get accurate data. Insights from experts, like our friends at Widewail, can provide insight on the number of times a brand name is mentioned; however, it may skew toward the negative, when a person is more likely to leave a specific review. That doesn’t paint the right picture, necessarily.

Running a brand awareness ad campaign is possibly another option—but beyond showing clicks to the website or a number of scheduled tours, it doesn’t tell us about:

  • Previous brand awareness
  • If the ad campaign helped make a long-lasting impression and create brand awareness
  • Brand perception—if a person became aware of the brand (will they take action? Become loyal?)

Let’s dig in and see what we can control and track for better results for brand awareness in multifamily.

Brand Awareness Types

There are multiple types of brand awareness. Brand recall, brand recognition, and top-of-mind brand awareness. Breaking it down even further:

BRAND RECALL

Brand recall is essentially the percentage in a given number of people that can actually recollect your brand. This is step number one in putting your brand on the map. It’s typically determined by a survey that goes out that asks, “Have you seen or heard of this brand before?”

Brand recall is helpful particularly in comparison with competitors. If prospective residents have heard of a property management company brand before (“Oh, I’ve seen their management signs outside my friend’s apartment!”), they may be more likely to explore living in that community. You may not be a known quantity to them in the truest sense, but they’ve heard of you or seen you.

Brand recall example: A resident seeking a dog-friendly apartment in Sarasota recalls your brand after seeing an ad that talked about your pet-friendly amenities.

BRAND RECOGNITION

Where brand recall is about remembering, brand recognition is…recognizing a brand through its color, logo, shape, or other attributes. When placed next to another similar brand, those who recognize your brand know the immediate difference.

Again, the better the brand awareness—in this case, brand recognition—the better chances you have at being “chosen”.

Brand recognition example: A prospect sees your signature green logo and immediately thinks of premium amenities. (Bingo!)

TOP-OF-MIND BRAND AWARENESS

When I say facial tissues, you say “Kleenex.” To most, there’s almost no competition for that kind of product. Kleenex is now the term that has replaced the idea of facial tissue. Similar to Band-Aid, Chapstick, Jell-O—the terms are synonymous with the entire market they’re in.

Similarly, when a brand has incredible top-of-mind brand awareness, it’s a snap to think of the name when prompted. It’s similar to being the mental #1 in the list of possibilities for a specific industry or service. That’s a good place to be.

Top-of-mind example: At the very start of their apartment search, a prospect types in your apartment community name.

Boost Brand Awareness with Brand Development

Getting strategic with brand development can improve brand awareness and turn brand perception of your multifamily brand positively. The strategies below should be used to help bring your brand awareness levels up and away:

KNOW YOUR RESIDENT (IRP)

Your ideal resident profile (IRP) is the key to unlocking the strategy. Know their needs, their lifestyle, their preferences, then create a brand identity that will “jive with their vibe.” If you’re trying to reach young professionals, for example, you might focus on what your nearby nightlife offers and whether you have remote work spaces available in your building.

ALL ABOUT LOCATION

You can’t pick up and move an apartment community—it’s tied to where it is geographically. So, make sure the branding fits in with what’s going on around it. If you’re near a large hospital or tech hub, for example, consider focusing on easy commutes. If you’re close to many recreational spaces, show how your campus connects with walking trails and nearby parks and keep an active resident in mind for your brand. Or, better yet, if you’re close to the ocean, talk about the views and the beach access.

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DIFFERENTIATION

Ooh, one of our favorite words. And an excellent part of a brand strategy. What makes you special and different will set you apart. Highlight it (as long as it’s good). If your differentiation includes how you solve some common prospects’ problems (hey, a pickleball court—or an on-site remote work area) you’ll come out head and shoulders ahead of the competition. If you’re in the middle of Portland, OR, you know the foodies and the eco-conscious abound. Work towards creating a brand that prioritizes earth-friendly finishes, activities, and partnerships—and show it off.

Strong Branding Makes Better Brand Awareness

You’ve got some strategic moves up your sleeve, so get ready for advanced brand awareness. How?

Thoughtful Design

Resonate with your resident by using logos, color palettes and other visual identity elements that will help jog their memory. Over time, your brand can be recognized through its typography, colors, and general style—just from a sign or an ad.

Purposeful, Pointed Messaging

What you say matters as much as what you show. If you’re clear and align your brand with the audience you want to reach, you’ll be able to connect on an emotional level (like speaking straight to their heart).

Multi-Channel Cohesion and Consistency

Lather, rinse, repeat. If you do the same thing, show the same colors, speak the same way across your channels, you’ll show up consistently and predictably. This creates trust. Trust creates confidence. Keeping your brand promises creates loyalty. With consistency and a well-crafted marketing and branding strategy, you can become top-of-mind for the prospects you want.  (Kind of like a song that’s so catchy and plays on the radio all the time, you can’t help but sing it even when it’s not playing.)

P.S. When we say “multi-channel” we mean digital, social, print, and ads. And on-site signage, too, of course.

There’s far more to brand awareness than just the scattershot approach—if you have a big ad budget, awesome. But even if you have loads of money to spend on marketing and advertising, if your brand is flat, you may never take off and reach that coveted “top-of-mind” placement for your IRP.

Go beyond the ads. Start with branding well. Then stay the course to connect deeply with the prospects you want to attract. Call us up, email us, message us—we can help you find the brand development package that will work for your community.

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Empty Nesters: Branding for Resident Personas

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing. No Comments on Empty Nesters: Branding for Resident Personas

The most common resident persona in multifamily is the career-focused, non-homeowning young professionals. But don’t forget about those who just launched those young professionals into the world: empty nesters. This group of renters are the second most targeted group for apartment living.

Knowing the purchase habits, preferences and ideals of a specific demographic can help you understand and cater to empty nesters for your apartment community as you tailor branding and marketing.

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Who Are Empty Nesters?

Empty nesters are individuals who have children that have left home to go on to school or careers and live their own lives. Empty nesters are typically 50-65 years of age, with early 60s about the average.

This group is extremely diverse, from younger empty nesters whose children have left for college, to the older ones that are closer to retiring. Depending on the generational trends, whether they’re Baby Boomers or late Gen X, they have differing values, lifestyle preferences, and financial means and priorities.

EXAMPLE STATS

There were two groups of empty nesters that we explored for these statistics, and while they have some items in common, their age, hobbies, and values varied a little.

For Group 1:
Age: 60-64
Household income: $75-100k
Household size: 2 people
Common leisure activities: Pets, mall shopping, music, sports, retail.

Home Values and Priorities: Like to stretch their money, and obtain information and news from TV channels and TV shows. Enjoy fast food and fast-casual restaurants.
College education: ~35%

For Group 2:

Age: 65-74
Household income: $75-100k
Household size: 2 people
Common leisure activities: Yoga, golf, running, grandparenting, dogs, food, music, traveling.
Home Values and Priorities – Staying active and healthy; are retired, or nearly retired. Appreciate amenities that help them maintain their health and activity.
College education: ~41%

Empty Nesters in Market-Rate Apartments vs. Senior Living

NOT SEEKING OUT SENIOR LIVING

But which of these empty nesters prefer age-segregated living? Many don’t see themselves as seniors and aren’t ready to dive in the early-bird specials and senior discounts at Denny’s. They’d rather seek out market-rate apartments that offer amenities that align with their modern, active lifestyles.

While empty nesters may be downsizing, they aren’t likely ready to stay at home and have it all “in one place.” Their sense of adventure, hope for regular activity, and penchant for travel might be dampened by a spot that’s specifically for seniors. Empty nesters would rather have flexibility—they’d like an apartment community that supports their lifestyle that’s in an in-between phase that brings access to vibrant, walkable neighborhood amenities.

WHY MARKET-RATE FOR EMPTY NESTERS?

Empty nesters are still an ideal target for regular (market-rate) apartment marketing. Empty nesters still have a significant population that is younger than 55—they aren’t even eligible for age-specified communities. After owning a home, they may be ready to move on from consistent home management and maintenance to simply renting and enjoying closeness to the bustle of the city (now that they don’t necessarily have to hustle). Plus, they pride themselves on their still-active lifestyle. Instead of days filled with puzzles and herbal tea, they are more into pilates and boba. Staying up and moving is part of their day-to-day, and they’re not about to release that aspect of their youthfulness.

The Importance of Branding for Empty Nesters

TAILORING THE BRAND

It’s one thing to brand an apartment community to reach young professionals. It’s quite another to also attract another demographic of empty nesters. Tailor your brand and marketing to empty nesters by staying aware of their preferences, positioning your amenities to attract them, and showing off the highlights of your neighborhood. And, as the multifamily space becomes more and more competitive, it helps your community stand out when you can appeal to another demographic—especially one that’s growing, as more Baby Boomers and Gen Xers become empty nesters. So: tailoring your brand to appeal to their values of quality, comfort, and simplicity can help guide the way you brand and market your spaces.

UNDERSTAND THE PERSONA

Developing your brand should stem from the ultimate goal: reaching the target audience. And if you know you’re attracting empty nesters, it’s best to understand that group of people. Bring in data points and statistics to inform decisions about the overall brand development.

For example, incorporate their preferences for:

  • Modern amenities
  • Smaller, but upscale spaces
  • Walkable communities
  • Convenient locations near urban centers

Highlight each of these amenities and offerings in your marketing, and ensure it’s part of the perception of your overall brand. Talk about it, show it off, and highlight it on any tours, whether virtual or in-person.

Apartment Branding Strategies to Reach Empty Nesters

GO BROAD

A broad branding approach can help you appeal to empty nesters. In design, go conservative, but modern. A simple and timeless set of aesthetics can show a side of sophistication while also highlighting the practicality of your community.

Because your target audience is hyper-focused on staying young, it makes sense to appeal to their desire to cling to youth and activity. In your messaging, focus on the themes of active living, convenience, and a lifestyle that’s far more maintenance-free than before.

In addition to a life that’s maintenance-free, it’s also extremely flexible and has a sense of freedom. Because so many empty nesters enjoy traveling, you can focus on how easy it is to live in a space that doesn’t require yard care, trash pick up and plenty more.

In terms of amenities, think carefully about what you offer—empty nesters will be more satisfied with amenities that feature quality over quantity. High-tech amenities like smart features and keyless entry are less likely to appeal than a really nice dog park, for example. Go quiet and upscale rather than trying to offer several amenities that aren’t top notch.

CONSIDER BRAND VOICE

Your brand voice is another aspect that can either attract (or distract) from your community. Find a way to balance your brand voice, with an optimistic but not too trendy use of words and style. By talking about your property as the “next chapter” it feels like that natural next step (without mentioning retirement, per se.) Most of all, you want to offer and provide ease of living—rather than inactivity, a life of chosen activity and hobbies and access to everything residents desire.

Empty nesters are a key resident persona—and it will help set your community up for success if you take note of their preferences and desires. By knowing their needs, you can fulfill them. By understanding their lifestyle (budget, spending habits, and hobbies) you can create a brand that will blend seamlessly into the life they’re envisioning after their kids have “flown the coop”. 

In crafting your brands—reflect the demographics you want to reach, or adjust your branding to attract and retain the empty nesters that are becoming a growing percentage of the renting population.

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Branding by Zipcode Creative – Ask the Founder

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Branding by Zipcode Creative – Ask the Founder

For Stacey’s birthday, we flipped the script—and decided to let you in on a round of Ask the Founder!

Making a living at being creative isn’t just about knowing color palettes—but running Zipcode Creative is truly a labor of love, finding what works and what doesn’t both with visual and verbal branding as well as within the realm of multifamily.

We do things a little differently. Because our brand founder and creative director Stacey Feeney, takes a different approach. So we picked her brain as our gift to you!

What are your all-time favorite brands? Why?

Stacey: Two come to mind.

Subaru. I love the culture they’ve created around their vehicles. They are THE outdoor adventure car. It’s a movement, really. Mostly, they’ve done a great job of identifying their ideal customer and tailoring their brand and marketing to speak directly to that person. The thing is, they are not the most rugged off-roading vehicle brand and their features really put them in a higher class, but they’ve made a reputation for themselves as being the must-have brand for the outdoor enthusiast. I recently moved to Colorado and sure enough: I go on a hike and 80% of cars in the parking lot are Subarus. I also have one, so I guess it worked on me, too.

Secondly: Kimpton Hotels. I’ve consistently been drawn to Kimpton hotels whenever I travel. They do such a great job of branding the experience through thoughtfully curated interior design that extends into branding. Their features, amenities, and design make you want to stay and spend time in the hotel—more than just using your room as a place to lay your head after a day out on the town you’re visiting. Multifamily can learn a lot from looking at this adjacent industry gem.

What creative work do you do in your own time?

Stacey: I often develop brands for either pro bono/charity work, friends and family, or occasionally we will take on a client outside of the multifamily industry just to bring variety into our day-to-day and keep our creativity flowing. Variety spices things up—we get this through taking on a plethora of project types. For example, I recently created a brand for my cousin—she’s starting a food truck business in Indiana: loaded baked potatoes! My favorite bit: All the clever plays on her name: “Taylor”. Tay’s Tayters is the business, but there are a bunch of fun brand voice additions—see if you can spot them all!

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Other pro bono projects we’re currently working on:

  • Creative for the Multifamily Mentor Matchmaking group’s new website in partnership with Resi
  • Branding for Project 29:11’s “Community Building Through Community Giving” program. 

How do you stay up to date on trends and stuff?

Stacey: Looking both outside of the industry and within is important for this. Hospitality is a great place for me to start because it’s extremely similar to multifamily, and is an adjacent industry, really.  I love keeping an eye on hotel brands because the experience and offering are very much the same, but length of stay is the main difference (short-term vs. long-term).

But: even outside of industries similar to multifamily, like hospitality, it’s good to see which brands our ideal residents engage or identify with. For example, the adventurous or outdoorsy type of persona might resonate with Patagonia, North Face, Subaru, while the health-conscious may be drawn to Whole Foods or Lululemon.

In my day-to-day, Pinterest is a big part of staying up to date for me. It’s a classic, tried-and-true place to see trends and then document them in boards to help my team see the vision.

In your opinion, what’s the biggest challenge in brand development?

Stacey: First challenge is the educational piece.
We always want to make sure clients understand what branding really is (so much more than a logo!) The verbal identity is particularly difficult to grasp at times, because it’s not something that feels tactile or visible in the same way that typography, textures, and palettes do.

My team and I work really hard to produce content all year long that helps educate and shed light on branding: what it is, why multifamily needs it, and the benefits of a well-crafted brand.

The second challenge is strategy balance.
Doing the work in research and deep discovery then strategizing on brand positioning for the right audience…it’s all super important! Yet the thing that makes this the most challenging is when stakeholders have strong opinions that end up trumping our expert advice backed by the research we’ve done and the strategy we’ve developed. It’s always finding the right balance of pleasing owners and stakeholders while also ensuring we are positioning the brand to target the right customers.

The definition of success for us is working with you so you’re happy and your brand works.

Where do you find creative inspiration? What’s the strangest thing/place you’ve drawn inspiration from?

It’s funny how many random things can spark inspiration for me. It could be anything really. Sometimes I get inspired by fashion brands, sometimes it’s car commercials, but usually it’s the most random little detail I come across in my daily life. Lately I’ve been taking photos of the various moss/growths on rocks when I’m on hikes because I love the natural color palettes I find there (and in nature in general). 

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned over the years as a founder and creative director?

As a brand founder I’ve learned how to multitask really well. Ha! But also that I need to delegate because I can’t do it all. So: hiring good people that you can trust. 

I’ve also learned that just because it’s an industry norm or a business standard process doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for me and my company. I am always asking questions and soaking up advice like a sponge from a variety of sources, but at the end of the day I get to make the calls and I often find myself doing something outside of the box because it feels right for me and how our clients experience us. 

As a creative director I’ve learned not to take it personally when a client selects artwork that isn’t my own favorite concept or option. Ultimately, creative choice is subjective. This also goes back to one of the challenges I mentioned previously: Finding the right balance between what we believe will resonate best with the target audience and what the client wants…and what I personally like! 

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Branding an Apartment Community – A Day in the Life

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Branding an Apartment Community – A Day in the Life

Come along for a little “day in the life” in which we brand an apartment community. First things first: A little caffeine. Then it’s creative juices and collaboration to the max. Our client makes the first move with…a brand questionnaire.

1. Brand Questionnaire

The Brand Questionnaire is the best way of introducing the brand to us. You fill in the information, and it’s one handy place to see everything you know about your community, location, and your audience.

We’ll ask the facts, figures, goals, and details of the property and of your brand. We’ll seek out inspiration from you through the target residents as well as positives about the location of your community. History, location, and the way you are the solution to a problem all come together to inspire the next conversation. 

2. Creative Kick-Off Call


REVIEW BRAND QUESTIONNAIRE

We’ll take some time with you and kick off the branding process by reviewing what you’ve said. Sometimes it’s about clarifying something you’ve noted, and other times, it’s just way more fun to have a real-life conversation. So much is revealed when we just sit down to chat about your brand.

MAJOR DOS/DON’TS

Then, we’ll check in with some deal breakers. Can’t do orange in the logo? The owner “needs” to see a concept with XYZ in it? We’ll note it and use it. If you have red flags and major dos or don’ts, now is the time to tell us!

3. Research and Discovery


Now that we know the client’s hopes and dreams for your community, we commence the research portion! 

Depending on the level of brand package chosen, we go in depth in varying degrees. For our premium level brand package, our learning and discovery is in depth to the point of persona research, competitor comparison, location analysis, and plenty more detail that gives us the ultimate insight into the current landscape and the clientele that will be most interested in living in our client’s community. Wondering about those details?

We look at:

  • Demographics
  • Geographics
  • Psychographics
  • Buyer Behavior
  • Generational Data
  • (Probable) Customer Journey
  • Location Offerings
  • Competition

Each of these serve to give us a full picture of the way your community will solve a problem, beat the competition, and reach ideal residents.

4. Naming

It’s worth noting that, of course, none of this is done in a single day. But we wanted to walk through the process to show exactly how much data and details go into every brand we develop for our clients. It’s very likely that on any given day, a member of our team is working on one of these steps!

As creatives, we have to be feeling the creative juices. It can take some time to feel inspired. Sometimes we have to switch up the mood and location to find that inspiration. While it’d certainly be cool to be able to name an apartment on demand or at our client’s command—it’s not always possible.

But we take the details and data, and follow a process, and work through those creative blocks with a walk (probably to the local coffee place) or a tiny dance party. (Our mixtape playlist for your listening pleasure)

Naming an asset is a tricky one. But it’s so cool when we nail it and the client loves it. It’s worth every moment spent agonizing over spelling, inspiration, and research.

PROCESS

We brainstorm. We throw it all against the wall and see what sticks. Meaning comes first. Then: We consider the ideal resident, the type of community, the surrounding area’s vibes and history, the style of the building, surrounding street names, and local flora and fauna. We take it all into consideration, and find something that balances meaning and originality pretty darn well.

VIABILITY

Speaking of originality, we have to see if the name is as original and creative as we thought (think: success instead of cease-and-desist letters). We cross check your name with a:

  • Business name search
  • Trademark registry search
  • URL search
  • Social media handle search
  • General Google search (we don’t want to name your place after a men’s hair loss cream

Too much competition = confusion.
Too difficult to spell = also confusion.

We ride the balance and find you something that works (and that you’ll be excited about)!

5. Strategy

Then, we take all of the above, add it to a magic 8-ball, shake it up and see what we get.
Absolutely not, nope! It’s strategy time. That research, the brand questionnaire, our conversations in the kick-off call, all serve as a stepping stone in the brand strategy.

Plus: we take the facts and details about a community to tailor that strategy. We consider the community’s:

  • Interior design plans
  • Architecture plans & finishes
  • Amenity package

…and develop the perfect meld of every factor to create a brand strategy that will speak to the identified ideal resident.

6. Logo Design


Strategy is set. We know the direction we’re headed. Time to create the face of the brand: the logo. 

The logo serves as the first impression, and holds a lot of weight. We do say “The logo isn’t everything.” But: It is something. It’s meant to evoke emotion and give insight into your brand’s personality. A strong logo is based on strategy—and helps push your identity forward with colors, shapes, typography, and imagery, all combined into one.

The other bit that’s important about logos: Brand recognition. Without the golden arches, it just wouldn’t feel like McDonald’s. Without that classic swirly typeface, it just isn’t quite the same Saks Fifth Avenue.

Read more here on logo design from start to finish.

7. Visual Identity

And the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor goes to: VISUAL IDENTITY! Each of the pieces of a brand’s visual identity are visual cues that become memorable to the prospects and create brand recognition. We’re talking: colors, design elements, and imagery.

COLORS

The color palette for branding apartments is far more important than one might believe. Use color psychology to your advantage, noting what each color can mean and how they work together as a group. We like to look for inspiration in the surrounding areas, in the architecture, or possibly even some of the art that will be on display at the community.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Typography, shapes, patterns, textures, all come together to create the branding’s back-up. Every new choice and addition should work in tandem with the selections made so far. 

IMAGERY

Using a combination of stock photography and professional architectural photography, we can create an entire vibe with a set of images. It’s similar to creating a vision board—aspirations for what your brand is and can be.


WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

What prospects and current residents see is vital to your brand. It should align in truth with who the brand is—because every perception they come away with is like a tiny promise that you should be keeping.

The visual identity we create is made strategically to speak to the right audience. Every choice is a conscious one. Because we’re so passionate about getting it right, we create three sweet visual identity concepts (at minimum) to help you hone your desires for the brand. We know that seeing examples can help you focus in on what you want and don’t want, so having more than one choice is the best way to move forward. Kind of like at the optometrist:

Better 1
Or
Better 2?

8. Verbal Identity

You didn’t think we’d end there with our work, did you? Of course not. Brands need a well-crafted verbal identity, too. Do NOT skip this.

Every factor we’ve already discussed comes into play for the verbal identity. The meaning behind the message. The context behind the content.

Who – If you know who you’re talking to, things get a lot easier. We create a particular Ideal Resident Profile (persona) to help tailor the brand voice.


What – When you know what to say (How a brand speaks—what the brand does and DOES NOT sound like) and what the brand archetype and personality is, then you have a clearer picture of how your brand would respond in any scenario, approach any occasion, and focus on with their messaging.

Why – Speaking of focus, crafting the mission, vision, and values along with the brand positioning statement injects soul into your brand. It’s not just about what the brand acts like, it’s about why the brand is saying specific things, prioritizing certain amenities, and creating a certain vibe with their message.


DON’T SKIP VERBAL IDENTITY

Your verbal identity comes together to create a brand that feels personal—something that your prospective and current residents can connect with on an emotional level. And creating clarity and consistency around that messaging is the ideal move. To that end, we create tagline options (“Remember Our Brand!”) plus a whole headline library for your use—in brochures, on the website, in ad campaigns. Along with that, the brand vocabulary gets even clearer with what words to use and what words not to use.

Because we love our clients and want them to succeed, we craft an overview, problem/solution,  products/services, and company culture paragraph with sample writing in the brand voice. There’s nothing like longer-form copy to help hone that verbal identity.

9. Concept Presentation Call


This is the most exciting and nerve wracking bit of the branding process for us. We love to be creative and make something that will set a community apart. During the concept presentation call, we’ll spend time collaborating and collecting your feedback. We don’t do much talking—because we want to hear every one of our clients’ unfiltered thoughts and gut reactions. When the dust has settled a little bit, we work on narrowing down the best direction.

Finding the balance between your vision and our guidance is always the best way forward. While we’re the strategy and design experts, we know you’re the expert of your brand. Because we’ve done the research on your ideal resident profile (IRP), competition, and how to achieve your goals, the target audience is always part of the vision as we work and collaborate to creatively develop a community brand.

So Many Steps! What’s the Return?

When our clients ask us about ROI for branding, we feel confident when we point out brand recognition, adding perceived value, and creating a streamlined resident experience. 

Is branding an apartment community the best part of our job? 1000% yes.

And it’s (arguably) the best part of marketing—because it’s the part residents relate to. It’s not the 10 billion emails you send that resonate or the ads you used to target them (however precisely). 

It’s what you say in the email.
It’s the name of your apartment community.
It’s the tagline.
It’s the color palette.
It’s the logo they’ve come to recognize across your marketing channels.

It’s consistency that boils down to trust. 

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Multifamily Marketing Services Stack

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Graphic Design, Marketing, Writing. No Comments on Multifamily Marketing Services Stack

We keep hearing about tech stacks—how they make things simpler and get you everything you need in the best way possible. But what if there was a similar solution for your creative and marketing services?

Being able to work with a handful of specialists—the artists that can help you with a variety of creative needs and services, can make your results so much better. Sure, it can sometimes feel simpler to get a one-and-done approach, but that means that you might be missing out on better results stemming from experts in specific fields. Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none and all that…

However, there are so many options, it’s overwhelming. How can you build a custom stack of marketing services so you can keep your multifamily branding and marketing fully supported from end-to-end? (Do you like that tech-y lingo?) 

Really, we just want to make sure your community shines from start to finish, that’s all. We’ll outline the pieces (and partners) we recommend you fill in so that your brand can be at its best and your marketing services stack can function the way you need it to.

Specialize with a Marketing Services Stack

There are a couple reasons why having a pile—okay, stack—of creative Partners at your disposal is the best possible approach:

Get the best – Having an assortment of creative service providers means you can choose the one that works best for you, and is at the top of their game. Good reviews, good referrals, good results.

Combine to Conquer – Using multiple providers means better results rather than an all-in-one solution. With one or a handful of services, they have one focus. The product is specialized, and they’re not stretched too far beyond their abilities.

Integration for the win – You might choose one company for verbal and visual branding, while another is your best choice for website development. Simply because a Partner offers it doesn’t mean it’s their best offering. Find Partners that can work together and collaborate, so you get the best of everything.

Wondering where to go and who to hire for your marketing services stack? We got you. (Along with some of our faves, of course).

Branding

Partner: Zipcode Creative

Not to toot our own horn, but seriously: We love branding and we’re loud and proud about it.

Why this Partner: Our process ensures your multifamily brand is set up to stand out:

Research – We look at geographic information, competitors, and take your goals into account to create an IRP that you can reach.

Strategy – We take our research and create a brand strategy to reach your IRP.

Identity Creation – We bring your brand to life.

  • Name – We create a unique name for your community based on the vibe and what will attract residents—often inspired by your ideas.
  • Logo – A standalone graphic that represents you well.
  • Visual Identity – We’ll provide you color palettes, stock photography examples, patterns and textures that bring your brand to life as a feast for the eyes.
  • Verbal Identity – Your messaging is built up around a mission and values that are unique to your community, and have personality rooted deep.

Bottom line: Zipcode has been in the biz for a while. We deeply understand multifamily and bring more than a logo. We can get you a full, cohesive branding package that resonates with communities and prospective residents on a deeper level.

Website Development

Partner: RESI

At Zipcode Creative, we opted to not handle website development in-house. We wanted to stay fully focused on visual and verbal branding. RESI is our ideal partner for multifamily websites. They’re focused on custom solutions and seamlessly integrate with PMS systems (like Yardi and RealPage). We work hand in hand with RESI to ensure the brands we create for our clients come to life through their websites– or you can go right to RESI and be well taken care of!

Why this Partner: RESI are web experts. We partner to lead the design.

Bottom line: When we work together, our clients get the best possible branding across their digital platforms.

Copywriting

Partner: Zipcode Creative

We have some of the best copywriters around. And website copy is a fairly complicated game to play, especially when you’re working to balance SEO and your brand. We’ll get the formula right.

Why this Partner: We work within our existing process to create website copy that’s always clear and always consistent. Your community’s brand personality is short and sweet? We’re on it.

Bottom line: We make you visible with visuals we create and audible with messaging we craft. Your brand will always shine through.

Graphic Design

Partner: Zipcode Creative

This is where it all began! We started with visuals way back when and we’re still loving it. (And so are our clients.)

Why this Partner: We take your vibe, feedback, and ideas, and create design collateral that’s perfectly on brand. 

  • Print collateral? All of it! 
  • Direct mail? Yes, we know and trust a variety of printers around the U.S. 
  • Signage? Don’t leave your design up to chance—we’ll provide our designs to your local sign companies for production.
  • Digital Design? But of course. 


Bottom line: Every one of your digital assets (social media, ads, plenty more) will be ideally aligned and perfectly recognizable as you because they’re created by the same agency—us.

Resident Journey Marketing

Partner: HyLy

Why this Partner: HyLy is next level for email nurturing, chatbots, and AI-driven content. It’s not quite set-it-and-forget-it, but pretty darn close. At Zipcode Creative, we work with them to integrate your branding identity into HyLy’s system, creating a consistent experience at every touchpoint in the resident journey.

Bottom line: Be you (okay, your brand) all the way through. When you have partners that work together on the reg, your branding will be the thread that gets pulled through and passed from one Partner to the next, no problem.

Renderings (Floor Plans & Photorealistic Images)

Partner: Zipcode Creative

First impressions count for a lot. And when it comes to investors seeing an opportunity or a resident seeing “home” for the first time…you need to ensure you have the highest-quality for your multifamily communities’ floor plans and photorealistic images.

Why this Partner: We provide architecture-based floor plans in 2D and 3D so you can show up exactly how you want to down to the last detail.

Bottom line: We dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. We’re totally committed to getting you the best quality imagery.

Sitemaps

Partner: Zipcode Creative + Engrain

Few of our partners have worked with us longer. Together with Engrain, Zipcode Creative makes beautiful, 2D maps (seriously, people come to us first for the sitemaps!) and Engrain makes them into a fully interactive map masterpiece.

Why these Partners: We’ve worked together for long enough to make the experience seamless for you, and immersive for your prospective residents.

Bottom line: Property sitemaps deserve star treatment. It’s how prospective residents get to know you before ever stepping foot on your property. 

Photography & Video

Partner: LCP Media

Why this Partner: LCP runs their biz nationwide. They can handle stills, 360s, or aerials. And it’s all sharp, high-resolution magic. They know what kind of photos and videos apartment communities need, and they’ll get them for you.

Bottom line: LCP is super reliable and you don’t have to end up sourcing photos in every city where your properties are located. It’s nice to just call up your pre-vetted pros and get them on photo and video duty, right? Right!

Social Media

Partner: Social Kapture

Why this Partner: Social Kapture is our go-to partner social media management that’s totally authentic. Seriously—no one will know it’s not you. We’ll help tailor your brand strategy for organic posts and paid social, and Social Kapture will carry it to the finish line.

Bottom line: When you go through the long, hard work of creating a brand, don’t let it fall flat with lackluster social media because you don’t have time. Instead: hire the experts.

Digital Advertising

Partner: Digible (for General Paid Media)

Why this Partner: Digible is a go-to for SEO/SEM and are especially renowned for their paid search services.

Partner: Apartment Geofencing (for Location-Based Advertising)

Why this Partner: They do exactly what they say—location-based advertising. It’s like throwing a lasso around a specific area and hitting prospective residents with your message. When used for a very location-oriented business, it’s magic.

Bottom line: Work with someone who is experienced with advertising—not with someone who “also offers that, too, I think!?” They’ll be familiar with the data and set-up needed to get you the biggest bang for your advertising buck—whether that’s through geofencing or through paid search ads.

Networking & Learning

Partner: Cadence Run Club

Why this Partner: The multifamily space is fun and loud and it can be tough to sort through the noise. At Cadence Run Club, we’ve found it’s super easy to network, share ideas, and learn from others

Bottom line: Helping run a community—you’re distinctly aware of how important community really is. With Cadence Run Club, you can keep up ongoing learning and growth as a multifamily marketer (or exec or Partner, what have you).

Why should tech stacks have all the fun? Create a best-in-class creative and marketing services stack, too, filled to the gills with the best. It’s certainly worth exploring how we can help you build your own stack, based on our experiences and how we best integrate with our fave partners.

It’s time to truly stack the deck—for your marketing success.

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Your Multifamily Brand Development Budget, Unlocked

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding, Marketing. No Comments on Your Multifamily Brand Development Budget, Unlocked

If you’re in the middle of making your budget, we wish you the best. (But you can at least have good music and strong coffee accompany us as we crunch numbers and figure out where to put our money.) Let this year be the year you give brand development the budget it deserves. This applies to you, corporate operator, and you, property-level brands, and everyone in-between. Your marketing budget could bring you up a few notches if you use it right.

Brand development is critical to every marketing budget. So prioritize it as a large component in your next budget to:

  • Differentiate your brand
  • Connect with your customer/resident
  • Increase ROI

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Why Brand Development Deserves More Budget

DIFFERENTIATE

It’s a sea of sameness out there. And no wonder, because so many apartment communities are offering wildly similar things: homes with amenity packages that look identical at first glance.

It’s time to stand out—by creating a brand identity that’s remarkable. By investing in brand development, you’ll be able to create a strong brand that resonates with potential residents. Set the stage and stand out.

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CONNECT

Humans want to connect. They want to find brands they can identify with, especially if they’re going to spend 30% or more of their income on rent and living expenses. Trust, loyalty, and comfort can be challenging to find in an apartment community. If your multifamily brand can craft a story and connect emotionally with residents and prospects, that community suddenly becomes much more than a building.

When your brand can resonate on a deeper level, your residents become loyal, and may engage more easily with your community, which leads to better retention rates (and may help them become brand ambassadors with word-of-mouth marketing).

Strategic, Well-Developed Branding

STRATEGY

Without a strategy, your thoughts are scattered, and your efforts become ineffective at best. Ensure you have created a strategy that guides your marketing efforts, so you can be consistent and clear in your messaging. When you know your audience and your why, the way you present your community has a roadmap.

The other bonus here: A clear brand strategy maximizes the dollar spend from your marketing budget. Less time wasted, less money wasted.

ROI

When presenting budget increase requests, it’s never enough to say “I think it will…” or “We’re hoping to see…” That’s the same as saying “We don’t know what we’re doing, but give us more money and we could waste that, too.”

Instead, try using historical data.

Look back at the progress you’ve made. Identify the areas where intensive branding choices helped lead to a rent increase. Use clear ROI to justify budget increases, in the same way that you can use branding to justify some rent increases by showcasing your value to your residents.

Let’s say:
You have a property of 268 units with an average rent of $1850/month.

A 2% rent increase after brand enhancement would equate to $37/month per unit.
Your monthly income would then increase $9,916 while your annual income would increase to $119,000.

If your brand development investment is, say $42k (but you could spend in a wide range of $5k-80k) this additional income definitely makes up for the amount you’ve spent.

Worth it? Yes.
Now, the next time you ask for a marketing boost, you might be more likely to get it.

Long-Term Benefits of Strong Branding

RESIDENT RETENTION

For every resident that leaves, finding a new one is twice as expensive as trying to keep your current residents. Retention requires less effort, and the days, weeks, or months that a unit sits empty could mostly be a thing of the past.

Create a well-developed, strong brand, and you create an equally well-developed, strong sense of belonging and satisfaction. Think about it: If you, as a resident, feel you belong, and you’re relatively satisfied, why would you ever want to leave? They’ll be more likely to renew their leases, making your rental income more reliable, and reducing vacancy rates.

BRAND LOYALTY BUILDING

When residents move out, you could be seeing rental income walk completely away. Or: if your brand is strong enough for your portfolio of properties, you may be able to recapture that rental income.

Keep your brand experience consistent, foster loyalty, and those wandering residents could choose another property in your portfolio for their next home. 

Take In-N-Out Burger. It always tastes the same. Hungry burger lovers come to any of In-N-Out’s palm tree-decorated fast food chains, and they know their double-double animal style will be exactly what they expect: hot and delicious. That’s consistency and positivity. 

Repeat business comes from brand loyalty. And that resulting long-term revenue is a lot better for your bottom line than trying to reach new leads.

So, as you finalize next year’s budget, consider brand development a worthy investment. That spend is money well-spent—it’s forward-looking in an increasingly crowded market.

As a marketing professional, look for opportunities to develop your brand, and start small if you must. ROI can be proven, and long-term benefits have been shown. Boost your brand development and watch your properties stand out in a sea of competition, connect with the residents you want, and build up your portfolio as they prosper.

Zipcode Creative

Apartment Branding for Faster Lease-Ups

Written by Stacey Feeney on . Posted in All Articles, Branding. No Comments on Apartment Branding for Faster Lease-Ups

Apartment Branding for Faster Lease-Ups

We’ve probably all heard at some point “Build it and they will come.” But that little phrase carries a lot of questions with it: What should I build? Who will come? And how quickly will they come? It’s just a phrase—but we’d like to offer as an alternative:

“Brand it, and they will come faster!”In the multifamily industry, apartment branding hasn’t always been the priority. Apartment communities are built on the idea that a place to live, shelter, is a necessary item. While it’s true it’s necessary, it’s also true that there is a lot of competition.

To maximize your lease-up speed and revenue, apartment branding is more than a “nice-to-have”—it’s a core factor.

Apartment Branding for Marketing Success

Branding vs. Basic Supply: The Difference

There is a housing shortage for both homebuyers and for those that wish to rent. So, if you follow rules of supply and demand, the housing will eventually lease up because it’s in demand—but maybe not as fast as you’d hoped.

Competition has become fierce in the market. There are many apartment communities near yours, offering similar amenities and units. Why shouldn’t they pick your competitors? Why should they choose you instead?

Branding. Branding can expedite the process, tightening up your lease-up process. By creating an emotional connection with prospects and residents, and helping seal the deal with full end-to-end branding that emphasizes clarity and consistency and forms trust.

Or, if you’re more into the money side of things, think about it this way: If you have units vacant for longer, that’s missed revenue. That’s an increase in marketing costs to reach a wider group to see if someone in that group will convert and sign a lease. Also, if a resident moves into an apartment, and the unit next to them is empty, they may begin to question why they signed a lease at this place instead of the one across the street.

Identify End Goals Before Branding

What’s your end goal? In multifamily, there are two primary goals for properties: Build-to-sell or long-term hold.
Before you brand you’ll want to know which direction you’re headed in. Then, you’re better prepared for strategic branding decisions. 

BRANDING APPROACHES 

Branding approaches will be different for each path. For:

  • Build-to-sell: Will you maintain the brand for the new owner or allow for rebranding? If your plan is to sell before leasing up, more intensive branding development may not be the right move for you. Alternatively—if you plan to lease up before selling, branding will be vital for you to attract residents before you sell.
  • Long-term hold: Investing in more extensive brand development makes a lot more sense if you’re retaining the property for the long-term.

Knowing what’s next in terms of ownership can help marketing teams understand the role of brand strategy. It’s possible that a light touch with branding may be enough to get the property sold. If you plan to hang on to the property as part of your portfolio, branding should be a larger budget line item and a bigger consideration—as it can, as mentioned above, help with leasing rates and speed.

How Branding Accelerates Leasing

THE POWER OF APARTMENT BRANDING

Excellent apartment branding is the key to reaching the brand’s ideal resident profile (IRP) and possibly raising rental rates (be sure to offer actual value along with that perceived value, though.) Branding sharpens targeting, and it helps keep focus where it’s needed: on the resident. 

A well-crafted brand points to your community like a beacon—“pick me!” Your community can stand out if you choose to make it different in the ways that you can: with branding. When you create perceived value (“this is worth it!”), you can speed up leasing.

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Refresh Your Property—Including Your Brand

Flooring isn’t the only thing that needs a good refresh every so often. Your apartment brand could use a little zhuzh. 

Your property upgrades shouldn’t be limited to the physical. Think about your verbal and visual brand identity too. Is it still serving your current IRP? Does it still look good? Does it still sound good? Your countertops and flooring will get worn out with time, and your brand may also become a little lackluster over the course of several years, especially when compared to the new kid on the block.

Instead of a full-on brand revamp, consider a brand refresh. Tighten up your design elements, tailor your colors to be more appealing, and work out a brand voice that sounds more like the brand you’ve become (if that’s what the brand should be).

Wondering when you need a brand refresh? Here are the tell-tale signs and times:

  • Shifts in the target demographic (keep up with who you want!)
  • Competitor landscape changes (keep up with the Joneses!)
  • New market trends or community repositioning (be accurate to your offerings and stay in the limelight!)

Maximizing an Apartment Brand Investment

ROI is always a consideration for marketing decisions. How can one prove the importance and the efficacy of an apartment brand?

Track it all.

And start off on the right foot.

In order to effectively maximize your apartment branding investment, please do the following:

  • Invest in high-quality design and messaging from the start—not when something “just isn’t working.”
    • Rationale: Upper management won’t be keen on spending more money if your first branding efforts were haphazard or sub-par. Goodbye marketing budget increase request.
  • Create a brand that addresses long-term goals—whether you’re selling or holding.
    • Rationale: If selling, your brand should paint a picture for the new investor or buyer. It won’t be doing all of the heavy lifting though. If you’re holding the asset, you’ll want to work harder on creating a brand that will last and does what you want. Focus on your future goals and align your brand strategy with it.
  • Use data to track your branding effort impact
    • Rationale: Is the community leasing up faster? Are occupancy rates higher than before branding was developed? Track it all. This is evidence of ROI—and should be brought to any budget or progress meeting for the marketing team.

Apartment branding can help with faster lease-ups and higher returns (if you do it right). It’s a long-term investment with a sometimes-large up-front cost. However, when you’re dealing with a competitive market and strong demand—standing out is a necessity. And branding can help you get there.