Milesbrand President Dave Miles Presentation Voted Top Session at 2022 International Builders’ Show

Milesbrand was honored to participate and have the opportunity to present at the 2022 International Builders’ Show. Milesbrand President Dave Miles was a featured speaker during the Spotlight Session 60 Design Ideas in 60 Minutes alongside several incredible industry-leading architects, interior designers, developers and builders. We are pleased to share that this Spotlight Session was voted the most popular education session by event attendees and attracted a full crowd with standing room only.

Among the dynamic speakers featured alongside Dave were Dawn Duhamel, VP of Business Development at Possibilities for Design; Kate Pourhassanian, COO and Principal of HRi Design; Michael Stone, Senior Designer from Bassenian | Lagoni; Randy Noel, 2018 NAHB Chairman and Owner of Reve Inc.; and Paul Haden, COO and Founder of C2 Collaborative.

This highly anticipated Spotlight Session highlighted the hottest topics and trends in design for the upcoming year. Below we’ll share what Dave had to say about important branding ideas and tips to remember to create an effective master-planned community or home builder branding for today’s homebuyers!

1. Do Your Research

How can your brand improve how it anticipates the future?

Conducting research is a critical way to strategically form effective marketing or sales plans, and there are several great resources your business can look to. YouTube is a fantastic hub for discovering trends and new ideas as it offers short informative videos on a wide variety of topics including interior design, fashion, design styles, branding, graphic design and so much more. Another highly recommended source is the downloadable, free 2022 Trend Report from TrendHunter which identifies patterns of opportunity and the top megatrends dominating contemporary society. TrendHunter also offers five levels of custom trend reports to accelerate your strategic planning and better understand how consumer needs evolve by the minute, especially post-crisis.

2. Now is the Time to Reinvent

How can your brand reinvent for greater relevance?

Throughout the previous years, we’ve been thrust into an era of chaos and uncertainty with the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. What many marketers have come to learn is that crises demand new interpretations. Marketing strategies must consider the “new normal” and determine how modern circumstances necessitate reimagined and shifted brand messaging to continue effectively engaging the target audience. How do concepts such as stay-at-home mandates and social distancing affect your products and services? It’s time to incorporate or recognize these now common occurrences to continue evolving with society and remain relevant.

3. Seek Unique

How can your brand communicate more uniquely at every touchpoint?

According to Media Dynamics Inc., people are exposed to over 5,000 branded messages per day. If your brand messages and marketing aren’t unique, they won’t be seen or remembered among your intended audience. Our client True Homes, 2019 National Housing Quality Gold Award winner and 2020 Builder of the Year, aims to be the most consumer-centric new home builder in the country, and we’ve been with them every step of the way. With a brand positioning of “It’s all about you,” True Homes is currently undergoing a brand refresh with bright, inviting and unexpected graphics and a consumer-oriented design.

4. Communicate Consistently

How can your brand communicate more consistently at every touchpoint?

Once you’ve created a unique brand, the key to generating a strong marketing ROI is communicating consistently. For client Southshore, we created a brand campaign that claimed the nearby reservoir as an amenity and a part of what made the community home for its homeowners with the tagline, “Life at the lake.” Original photography was captured around the lake and was integrated with a vibrantly bold typeface that was consistent across all marketing materials. All touchpoints aligned with a cohesive design that enabled homebuyers to easily identify the brand by its distinct style.

5. Stay Positive

How can your brand personality become more positive and upbeat?

Brands and designers are launching initiatives to help consumers stay positive. From anti-doomscrolling websites that highlight only good news to joyful travel websites, several types of new content have been curated simply to make us feel happy. Today’s ad campaigns have taken on more positive and soothing themes with encouraging, comforting tones that draw in consumers. The more comforting or upbeat your brand identity is, the easier it is for consumers to engage and form stronger connections.

6. Archetypes

What is your brand archetype?

Archetypes refer to symbols, themes, settings and character types that frequently occur in our culture. These prominent elements or roles arise so often that they are thought to embody universal, essential components of the human experience. When brands can relate with consumers on common human experiences, it’s easier to create deeper emotional connections. Instead of solely sharing what you do, it’s critical to talk to buyers from their point of view to establish commonality. Various iconic brands each personify ranging archetypes that enable them to better connect with their audience. For example, Nike takes on the role of Hero, Apple is characteristic of the Rebel and Jeep embodies the Explorer. Understanding the archetype your brand embodies is an effective way to gain insight on how to form stronger relationships with your target audience.

7. Wellness

How can your brand help people live the new wellness?

Incorporating wellness into your brand isn’t just about promoting self-indulgence, but about how consumers can care for their community and create better places. In the last two years, we’ve begun to think differently about what we need and how we plan to cope with the unprecedented events occurring around us. Although chaos can be overwhelming, it also presents newfound opportunities for growth. With this idea in mind, upcoming master-planned community Nona Cove is positioned around the tagline, “Live the new wellness.” This community brand archetype represents the Healer, a role that respects the power of belief and inspiration in affecting peaceful integration of the mind, body, emotions and spirit. The concept of wellness has greatly permeated all aspects of our lives, and it only makes sense that this idea should emerge within modern branding as well.

8. Leverage Fine Art as a Community or Builder Benefit

How can your brand leverage art and culture?

New research suggests that viewing art might improve mental health, and some doctors are even prescribing museum visits as health treatment – maybe your brand should too! What if communities or home builders leveraged cultural institutions and gave away memberships to art or natural history museums as an anniversary or closing gift? This offering could encourage consumers to tap into the soothing effects of art and attest to the brand’s compassion for its customer’s wellbeing.

9. Leverage Fine Art as Inspiration

How can your brand communicate more artfully at every touchpoint?

When we view art as a comforting element, it only makes sense to imagine ways to incorporate this sentiment into your branding and community design. Sculpture-inspired signage is a fantastic way to artfully display community elements to inspire homeowners. Their community and home should be more than just a place to live, it should act as a destination for them to learn, grow and create fond memories. Incorporating art-inspired design into master-planned communities creates more fulfilling environments that elevate homeowner lifestyles. Keep an eye out for our art inspired placemaking elements at Lyric by Shea Homes later this year!

10. Leverage Fashion and Cosmetic Trends

How can your brand take inspiration from contemporary beauty trends?

Emerging from periods of crisis and uncertainty, people have a desire for more colorful clothing that acts as a symbol of joy and hope. Fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue showcased imagery of bright, multi-colored floral indicative of modern beauty trends. While bright colors instill a sense of joyfulness, nature elements are often viewed as grounding. Taking inspiration from this cultural piece, we incorporated these ideas into branding designs for new True Homes community Homecoming. Branding for this community features vivid hues, floral elements and nature-focused design meant to inspire and comfort. Tapping into fashion trends often allows marketers to create content that resonates with the current mindsets and attitudes of the modern consumer.

11. Branded QR Codes

How can your brand make every touchpoint more memorable?

To simplify the process of transferring information to consumers, many businesses have begun utilizing branded QR codes. QR codes seamlessly promote easy, memorable and instant brand interaction –all your audience needs is their mobile device! Being without your device is uncommon, which means this strategy is accessible to practically everyone. Using this inexpensive digital marketing element excites buyers to quickly discover what benefits they can gain by scanning your code while also enabling you to easily direct buyers to your brand with a simple tap on their phone. You can also incorporate your brand design elements within and around the QR code to continue to build on your community’s brand promise and image.

12. Will It Make Me Smile?

How can your brand brighten people’s day?

Ultimately, the most important thing required from your branding is that it offers consumers some kind of value or pleasure. Looking back on the previous branding and design examples, each one always considered the happiness of its viewers within its design. If your branding doesn’t delight your audience, why should they care? Ideally, your branding should be uplifting and positive to effectively engage your audience and foster stronger connections.

Explore Cutting-Edge Design Ideas for Your Master-Planned Community Branding

Milesbrand was thrilled to participate in this incredible design Spotlight Session during the 2022 NAHB International Builders’ Show that encourages homebuilding and master-planned community marketers to step into the future with cutting-edge strategies!

With compelling strategies and award-winning creative design, our team works to take your home builder, master-planned community and developer brand to the next level. Contact us to get started taking your land to brand with awe-inspiring real estate marketing solutions.