Project Overview
This project tasked us with creating a brand for father and son, Peter and Kane Devitt's new property development group, the aptly named, Devitt Property Group.
Although the premise may have appeared quite conventional initially, it quickly became apparent to us that this would not be a run of the mill branding exercise.
Read on to hear about the twists and turns we encountered throughout our branding journey and discover how we were able to overcome all obstacles and emerge triumphant, with a brand spanking new brand in tow.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Lars Weisenberger - Creative Director
Alysha Sandow - Design Director
Victoria U - Graphic Designer
Lars Weisenberger - Copywriter
Elizabeth Burns - Photographer
Anthony Bray - Account Director
Yanna Koutroulis - Senior Account Manager
Project Brief
In our previous instalment, the team at tomorrow were tasked with creating a brand for the newly established Devitt Property Group. It was a great job that came about thanks to the super brand work we were already undertaking for the Devitt's first residential project, The Muse.
Peter and Kane were establishing the Devitt Property Group as a boutique property development company after both having incredibly long and successful careers at one of Australia's pre-eminent construction companies, L.U. Simon.
They saw this brand as a much better fit for the style of property they were going to be developing, as opposed to L.U. Simon. It needed to feel premium and sophisticated, but still warm and approachable (much like the guys themselves).
They had also come to us knowing that they wanted Devitt to be the name of the company. This request made perfect sense considering their reputations in the industry, however, it also came with a great deal of pressure. Peter and Kane were literally putting their name to this brand, and that meant it had a lot to live up to.
The final requirement the guys had was perhaps the most challenging. They wanted to make sure that the brand was not perceived as a start up. Even though they had not yet completed a single project, the Devitt Property Group needed to feel established.
The stage had been set and now it was over to us to get on with the show.
Project Innovation/Need
As we got our teeth into this job, we realised that the most effective and efficient way in which we could bring innovation to the brand was to think about the notion of innovation in a different way.
Innovation is usually associated with new technology or doing something that has not been done before. However, those ideas didn't really sit well with the more traditional personality of the Devitt Property Group.
So, instead of joining the ranks of most other property development companies who were looking to the future for innovation, we chose to look back on the past.
Devitt Property Group was a boutique, family business. They took pride in providing personalised service and products of the highest quality. Even the Directors themselves were the epitome of classic gentlemen. Everything about the business harked back to a time before big, faceless corporations dominated the landscape.
We really liked these attributes and felt that they would resonate strongly with potential property purchasers. Surely they would want to feel comfortable with and know the people they were placing their trust, and a significant amount of money, with?
So, the way that we brought innovation to the brand was to really bring Peter and Kane Devitt to the fore. This brand is the embodiment of their values and ethos, and that is why we believe it is so powerful.
Design Challenge
As we touched upon earlier, the biggest challenge we faced with this brand was finding a way to make it feel established, even though it was a completely new entity.
Both Peter and Kane Devitt were incredibly experienced in the property and construction industries. They were knowledgable and experienced, as well as being well connected and respected by their peers. However, they were not names that were necessarily familiar to your average property purchaser who was not entrenched in real estate.
We couldn't visually use examples of the projects they had done at L.U. Simon to beef up their back catalogue or work, but we could talk about them. Therefore, instead of placing emphasis on buildings, we focused on the people who created the buildings.
Effectiveness
The Devitt Property Group is yet to officially launch as of the time of this entry. Their name is out there and their corporate website has recently gone live, however, a more grand launch is scheduled to take place once their landmark project, The Muse, hits the market.
From the client's perspective, the brand we created identified what made Devitt Property Group special and positioned it uniquely in a landscape filled with property development companies of all shapes and sizes.
The feedback from those outside the project group who have previewed the brand, has also been really positive. We are incredibly confident that upon grand launch, the Devitt Property Group brand will create real impact and go on to become a highly regarded and trusted name in property development for years to come.
Graphic Design - Illustration and Type
This award celebrates creativity and innovation in the traditional or digital visual representation of ideas and messages. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching information style to audience.
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