Methodologie

Unico Properties

What makes the difference between a property and a place?

Like many places around the country, Portland, Oregon’s Pearl District witnessed a booming urban renewal over the last few years. As apartments and condos sprouted on nearly every block, Unico Properties asked Methodologie to help their new development capture attention amid thick competition. Even though Unico’s property would stand out once completed, neighboring buildings were offering, on paper, similar or overlapping features.

To win buyers’ hearts, we looked to Portland’s unique culture for inspiration and created a brand with a sense of community. By speaking to Portland’s character as well as the target demographic, every other building would be just another downtown development. This one was home.

In real estate—whether it’s office, retail, homes, or a hotel—you can’t always differentiate with features like square feet, views, or location. Usually, branding is a process of finding the intersection between your product’s attributes and your audience’s values. With properties—especially ones that have not yet been completed—the task is to create a sense of place where buyers or tenants believe they will find others who share their tastes and values. They will look at collateral, advertising, a website, or sales center and ask, “Is this where I belong?”

From corporate communications to residential branding, Methodologie has created this sense of place for Unico Properties with every tool available: brand strategy, naming, identities, websites, collateral, sales center design, signage, and wayfinding.