Project Overview

Harts Landing, the latest offering by PAYCE, is made up of 268 apartments, spanning across three nine-storey buildings in North Penrith.

North Penrith was perceived as an industrial hub saturated with slow burn house offers. The initial brand and marketing campaign needed to communicate a new way of living in Penrith, and highlight the benefits and growth already in evidence in the surrounding area. Benefits included the revitalisation of the CBD, the urban lifestyle available, quality affordable housing for a growing and diversifying population and strong commuter connections.

To differentiate from other campaigns, the location was embraced and reframed to demonstrate the transformation taking place and the new lifestyle on offer. Hoyne ignored previously used clichés and actively highlighted the development’s location, articulating the development’s flourishing location, rich convenience, amenity and easy access to nature.

Harts Landing is a unique development with a mixture of private and affordable apartments in an integrated community. Evolve Housing is the community housing provider and landowner of Harts Landing and the whole project will consist of 268 apartments in total. The project is made up of 134 private apartments and 134 affordable apartments, under the management of Evolve Housing.

Harts Landing was a huge success with all 134 private apartments selling between when the marketing commenced in July 2016, to February 2017.

Organisation

PAYCE

 

Team

PAYCE - Developer
Hoyne - Creative Agency
LINK - Sales & Marketing
BINYAN - Computer Images
Robertson + Marks - Architect
Turf Design - Landscape Architect
JAPM - Project Managers
Dasco Australia - Builder
Evolve Housing - Land Owner

Project Brief

In developing the brand strategy, key challenges were identified that needed to be considered: Penrith is perceived as a dry, barren desert and its proximity to nature and the Blue Mountains is often ignored. The area is seen as a market that’s saturated with generic developments; it’s a city that’s unconnected and underserviced, with a young population who were leaving in search of an urban lifestyle that’s not on offer. Furthermore, a large proportion of the development would provide social and affordable housing which may be viewed unfavourably by some buyers.

However, in reality, Penrith is a city under transformation. Huge government investment in the local area is attracting new residents, supporting its existing ones and presents a compelling story for investors. Harts Landing by PAYCE heralds a new age of apartment living in Penrith that will transform the city into a connected urban village.

The campaign was targeted at an aspirational market; people who want to be part of driving Penrith forward into the future.

Hoyne and PAYCE developed a strategically led marketing campaign that was a new statement about the rapid evolution underway in Penrith. Harts Landing itself was positioned as a place where residents could create a life that centred on wellbeing and community. The brand identity drew on the area’s history for inspiration to ignite a sense of pride, place and heritage. It also emphasised the development’s flourishing location, its proximity to nature and the nearby national park.

Project Innovation/Need

The rich heritage, ignored by previous campaigns, was used to intrigue the market, engage the local community and inspire a feeling of pride in the area. Common clichés previously used for developments in the area were ignored and replaced with bold messages with the personality that celebrated Hart Landing’s flourishing location, rich convenience, amenity and easy access to nature. The marketing supports and will continue to support, the local community by engaging them with a positive vision of Penrith, as it is now, and will be, in the future.

Instead of shying away from Harts Landing’s position as a development that was priced strategically for the market and that integrated affordable housing, the campaign celebrated this position by drawing attention to the factors which would help buyers on the budget create a new life in an evolving, thriving new city.

The research identified a real interest in the future of greater western Sydney’s property market but saw there was a lack of knowledge among both the investment and owner-occupier audience about what the future held. The campaign communicated the hugely positive forecasted growth figures and government investment information to position Penrith as an area for astute investment.

PAYCE also sponsored the Penrith Baseball Club to promote the project. Harts Landing by PAYCE sponsored the local club that has over 40 teams ranging from an All Needs Team, Ladies teams, juniors and several senior men’s teams.

Design Challenge

Significant competitor analysis was undertaken and identified that the majority of developments in the area did not embrace their location in Penrith, only mentioning it in the context of the train station and the Westfield Shopping Centre.

There was a “sea of sameness” in the campaigns, which generally focussed on the green and tranquil aspects of the locale and lacked personality and energy. Research also identified the opportunity to put Penrith on the map as an astute investment. A recent retail report from Urbis suggested the population of North Penrith will be 7,900 by 2021 and rise to 9,300 by 2026.

Effectiveness

• Strong sales demonstrated with all 134 apartments being sold within 6 months.
• Prices were in line with the feasibility developed and some two bedroom apartments exceeded expected prices.
• Initial expressions of interest campaigns were well received and acted upon by investors.
• Over 150 wholesale agents attending a launch event in Zetland.
• The project was sold to Investors, First Home Owners, Young Couples and Downsizers.