Building character in a lifestyle brand
When you’re an apartment brand called “Local by Laramar,” you better be delivering authentic neighborhood flavor. That’s the challenge that real estate company Laramar Group faced when rebranding its national portfolio of 117 properties—it wasn’t differentiating in the way it could. All of its properties—mostly small walkups—combine unique architectural charm with modern finishes in prime neighborhoods such as Chicago and Denver. Laramar wanted to communicate a story that was as special as its buildings and locations. Bigmouth architected a complete brand platform and narrative with marketing concepts that made the neighborhood the star, emphasizing character and convenience on every corner.
Client
Laramar Group
Industry
Real Estate
Services
Research and stakeholder interviews
Brand blueprint + narrative
Brand workshop
Identity
Design systems
Content strategy
User experience
Social media
Website
Integrated campaign
Employee engagement
Brand book
Properties with personality
In a crowded marketplace, differentiating a national apartment brand was key. It wasn’t enough to talk about Local’s presence in prime neighborhoods. It needed an emotive story—one that captured the unique experience of living in a Laramar property. Local’s Brand Positioning, “Connected to character,” celebrates the deliberate choice of living in a smaller, more authentic property—as opposed to a cookie-cutter high-rise building—to feel more in sync with your surroundings. The new Local by Laramar Brand Book uses this theme as an anchor to ground the narrative.
CONSUMER RESEARCH
Rebranding from the ground up
During the Discovery phase, Bigmouth spent time workshopping Positioning, Brand Attributes and Identity with Local by Laramar leadership to truly rethink its value proposition. We also interviewed current residents to get a better feel for the brand’s target audience, mature Millennials, and learned that they value experiences, convenience and choice above all. To be successful in connecting with residents, we knew we had to sell them on the idea of “location as lifestyle.”
Identity
Marks of distinction
The updated Local by Laramar identity reflects a more energetic and connected brand platform, including a stand-alone “bug” version of the mark to deliver an iconic shorthand. Unique building illustrations—all 117 of ‘em—exploit each property’s distinctive architectural features through color and shape while still maintaining the simple sophistication of the brand.
“We knew we had a great story to tell. Bigmouth helped us uncover that story and gave our brand true meaning in a genuine and authentic way—a way that brings out the soul of each building. Thank you for the partnership!”
Stacy Valentine, Senior VP Operations, Laramar
INTEGRATED MARKETING
Putting the ‘hood in neighborhood
Print ads, signage and guerilla marketing tactics encourage neighborhood connections and interrupt users with vibrant colors and a playful brand voice. Eye-catching welcome kits go a long way in personalizing the resident move-in experience.
Website
Wanted: The perfect apartment
Easy to navigate and explore, the new website was designed to increase lead generation, encourage brand engagement and deliver added value to residents. Streamlined search functionality and curated content provides the right information at the right time to expedite the apartment finding process. Dynamic neighborhood pages teem with local, insider information on everything from foodie favorites and dives to nearby grocery stores and public transit. It’s a more personalized experience that empowers users to find their perfect apartment while getting an authentic feel for the neighborhood, thereby establishing credibility and trust in the brand.
Social media
Unlock your neighborhood
The new Social Media Playbook charts a roadmap for engaging current and potential residents and deepening brand loyalty, one post at a time. Part strategy and part implementation primer, It explains when, where and how to use social media to bring the Local brand to life.
