Situation
Conifer Realty, LLC is a nationally ranked real estate company specializing in the development, construction, management, and ownership of affordable housing communities. They called Cooley when they found themselves with a huge, two-tiered communications project.
First of all, they had created a new brand identity – a new look with a new symbol and logo. To establish it as quickly as possible, the reasons behind this change and the rationale for the new image needed to be communicated to the organization in a creative, compelling manner.
At the same time, Conifer was moving its corporate headquarters. This meant that all of the corporate materials featuring the old address needed to be updated across the entire company.
Challenges
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the company was the sheer size of the organization. With office across the Northeast, Conifer currently owns and manages over 15,100 multi-family units in 229 apartment communities, making it the 12th largest owner and the 25th largest developer of affordable housing in the nation.
What this meant for the project was the logistical nightmare of managing 255 different satellite locations. All required their letterhead, envelopes, business cards, digital templates, etc. All of these different locations also needed to be reached with a fun, engaging communications campaign to introduce the new brand identity.
Solution
Working closely with the Conifer team over the course of three months, the Cooley Group helped pull together a solution that integrated design, production, and fulfillment into a single, coherent program.
Initial quantities of business-critical documents were identified and ordered, sourced from a variety of different suppliers to meet the customer team’s requirements for cost, timing, and quality.
Cooley also collaborated with Conifer to develop memorable promotional products to showcase the new brand identity. This involved a great deal of brainstorming, research, and pricing comparisons before the team landed on a package that everyone was excited about.
Results
In addition to stationery, signage, and other business-critical pieces, a Promotional Package was prepared for the Corporate Office employees on move-in day. This package included coffee mugs, pens, T-shirts, mint tins, and ice scrapers (it was December after all!). This same pack was delivered to all 255 satellite locations.
Most importantly, everything was delivered on the SAME DAY, ensuring a unified presentation of the brand across this entire far-flung enterprise. For Conifer, it was a cultural win just as much as it was a practical win. For Cooley, it helped reinforce the company’s position as a true partner, ready to help clients tackle even the biggest projects.
