New England Development
Delivering and sustaining value through a creative, entrepreneurial approach to real estate development and management—across the country
Known for decades for its entrepreneurial and far-sighted approach to developing and managing enclosed shopping malls, NED now owns a very diversified portfolio. With “retail at its heart,” the organization has a significant presence in a range of asset classes—from marinas and golf courses, to hotels and restaurants, to airport retail and mixed use projects, to a burgeoning national footprint of outlet centers.
But while all of these projects (and, in many cases affiliated businesses) had good stories to tell, there was no unified story—no NED story. This, combined with a brand structure that was more borne of history than intent, made it hard for prospective tenants, partners, funders—and communities—to understand NED, and, by extension, why one would want to work with them.
We collaborated to craft a brand migration plan to rationalize the array of companies (so that NED could get “credit” for all its work), a company-wide way of talking about assets, new messaging, a visual voice for the company, and high-priority communications: new print collateral, a new web presence, and the design of trade show booths.
New messaging is based on the different dimensions of “value” that NED delivers—to retailers, partners, customers, and communities.
The new website brings the company’s creative and entrepreneurial sensibility to life (it was largely obscured on the old site)—and elevates the differentiating dimensions of value the firm delivers. (The “value drawers” open to reveal targeted statements and point to case studies that prove value.) The site also allows quick access to important project information, and has propelled NED to the front of its competitive pack in terms of mobile. The new site also streamlines a somewhat fractured web presence into a more centralized, and meaningful, hub.
