Project Overview
Nestled in the vibrant streets of Richmond, I.Co was a collection of 15 industrially inspired offices available to purchase.
The offices were unusual because they each had their own title, meaning you could actually purchase bricks and mortar in the notoriously tightly held suburb.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Lars Weisenberger - Creative Director/Copywriter
Jasmine Kaur - Senior Designer
Bjorn Weisenberger - Designer/Finished Art
Ian Hickey - Account Director
Brett Wellard - Account Manager
Amelia Harrison - Account Manager
Project Brief
These offices weren't typical. They were brand new, but inspired by the rich industrial history of Richmond. Each was 3 stories and they were arranged in such a way that they created their own little pocket, office community.
Our client felt that due to their size and location, they were ideally suited for start ups, particularly in the creative industries. They wanted us to target a younger business market and do so in a way that would make the development stand out from the glut of commercial sales and leasing campaigns that adopted a very corporate approach.
Project Innovation/Need
The approach we took towards the branding for this development pushed the boundaries of what the client was accustomed to, but also what we would usually do for a commercial property development.
Everything was lifestyle focused, rather than business focused. We talked about the amenity in the area and how that would enhance the quality of life for the business owners and their staff.
Visually we opted for a vivd colour palette of pink, green, blue and yellow designed to capture attention and create a feeling of positivity and excitement.
Our photography depicted a much more casual class of business. Still serious and intelligent, but rocking jeans and a t-shirt instead of a suit.
Even our name, I.Co was left of centre, inspired by the notion of new business people setting up their own companies with big hopes and dreams. This in turn led to us developing a very aspirational framework, based around the phrases "I work. I play. I create. I dream."
Design Challenge
The biggest challenge with this project was finding an outcome that suited the markets needs, but also aligned with the visions of the developer, sales agents and our team.
Everyone was united in the desire to do something different, however, everyone's idea of different was varied.
Sometimes we would push the envelope too far and need to be reined in by the agents and sometimes they would be too conservative and we would need to push them to take a risk.
Effectiveness
Let's not mince words. Selling a niche product isn't easy at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. Every rule book has been thrown out the window as we all adjust to new ways of doing things.
That being said, we did see strong enquiry for I.Co Richmond prior to the world shutting down. Website registrations were strong allowing the sales agents to compile a substantial database, in addition to their existing client base. Our print based collateral furthered the discussion, providing the agents with another way to interact with potential purchasers.
We have found that direct communication through electronic direct mail has been the most effective way to nurture leads. This is particularly important as the decision making time on a commercial property like this seems to be anywhere from 6 to 12 months.
We have scaled back advertising during the lockdown but have maintained regular eDM correspondence, ensuring that when we come out of this situation, we can hit the ground running.
Advertising - Print
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for visual communication intended to persuade an audience to purchase or take some action upon products, ideas or services. Consideration given to the technical, conceptual and aesthetic elements, audience engagement and message delivery.
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