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Roundtable Discussion
Toronto Under Construction Podcast: Episode 77 – Exploring Real Estate Branding, Design, and Marketing
In this episode of the Toronto Under Construction podcast, host Ben Myers is joined by a panel of industry leaders: David Klugsberg, CEO of LA Inc.; Linda O’Connor, founder of G Ryan Design; and Norm Li, founder of Norm Li. Together, they dive into a conversation on branding, design, and marketing in Toronto’s ever-evolving real estate landscape, exploring how these elements shape the success of projects in a challenging market. The guests introduce themselves and share their roles and experiences in the industry.
Total Branding Methodology
For this episode, Ben uses LA Ads’ Total Branding Methodology to steer the discussion of this episode, starting with research. He asks David, “As it relates to research, I assume that part of that step involves looking at demographics of the local market, the lifestyles of potential buyers, their income level, their preferences, motivations, and concerns. Are you looking at architectural drawings, are you putting boots on the ground? Walk us through the research process for you and LA Inc.” At 3:44, David explains, “We look at it all!” He emphasizes the importance of understanding every facet of the market, from buyer psychology to architectural design, in crafting successful branding strategies.
Turning to Linda, Ben shifts focus to purpose-built rentals, asking: “Your firm is working on branding and creative for a number of new purpose-built rental projects. Is there a significant difference between the way you approach the marketing of a for-sale condominium versus an apartment for lease?” At 5:02, Linda responds, “Absolutely! With a condo, you’re selling the dream, with a purpose-built rental, you’re selling a reality.” She elaborates on tailoring branding to meet the practical needs of rental audiences versus the aspirational messaging often used in condo campaigns.
Ben then asks Norm: “I want to take a slightly different angle on research with you. How much time do you spend looking at the work of your competitors or industry peers? How do you stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in your field?” At 9:57, Norm shares that his focus isn’t on competition but rather on meeting his clients’ unique needs. “Our approach is less about competition and more about what our clients need,” he says, underscoring the importance of customization in visualization.
The group discusses the importance of having good product and how in this market, a good design with good product is your marketing.
Adapting Strategies for a Shifting Market
With positioning and strategy forming the next steps in the Total Branding Methodology, Ben turns to Linda, asking: “This is the worst market for new home sales during my 20-year career. However, projects are still launching, rental developers are still putting shovels in the ground. How are your conversations changing with clients? Are they shifting away from luxury branding, targeting end-users instead of investors, or resizing units to attract less affluent buyers? Any common themes you’re hearing from your clients?” At 16:37, Linda highlights that developers are exploring all options, including resizing units and targeting different demographics, to remain competitive in the current market. She explains how branding adapts to reflect these strategic pivots.
Ben then directs his question to David: “How have developer strategies changed since the middle of 2022? Are they opting for longer pre-launch marketing campaigns? Where are they looking to spend more—emails, texts, video, direct mail, print ads, streetcar ads, phone campaigns? How has the sales strategy changed from your perspective in this slumping market?” At 20:21, David shares insights on the evolving marketing tactics developers are employing, including increased emphasis on digital outreach and video content.
Shifting focus to Norm, Ben asks: “You worked on the recent launch of 101 Spadina, a project that really breaks from the traditional mold of an all-glass tower. The project appears to be positioned more as an end-user building with larger units. Did that positioning shift over time, and did they want more renderings and/or different renderings than you would have produced for a typical small-unit investor project?” At 22:49, Norm describes how the renderings evolved to appeal to end-users, emphasizing the importance of aligning visuals with the intended audience.
The Art of Design and Branding
Moving onto design and branding, Ben says to David: “I’ve noticed a trend of one-word, inspirational names for projects like Centricity, Above, Allure, and Alias. What are these names trying to evoke? Other than the obvious objective of selling new homes, what do you think the goal is when creating a design and brand for a project?” At 29:45, David explains that these names aim to inspire a sense of identity and aspiration, helping projects stand out in a crowded market.
Norm is asked about video content’s role in branding, with Ben saying, “We’re living in a world where people have very small attention spans. How are you maintaining a consistent design and branding message in these short videos? Where are people consuming these videos—TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube, Facebook?” At 34:51, Norm emphasizes that consistency and creativity are key, with most videos consumed on Instagram and YouTube.
Next, Ben asks Linda: “How are you and your clients collaborating on design and branding for new developments? Are you presenting multiple names and logos, or does the name come first, followed by the rest of the branding?” At 41:39, Linda takes listeners behind the scenes of the branding process, revealing the collaborative and iterative nature of her work with developers.
Bring the discussion back to David, Ben says: “You’ve helped several developers with their corporate branding, in the age of investor buyers, does that still matter?” Tune in at 46:25 for David’s thoughts on corporate branding.
Execution and Evaluation
Moving on to execution and evaluation, Ben asks David, “Tell us a bit about the evaluation process. You can have the best marketing plan, the best brochure of all time, gorgeous renderings and visualizations, but if the prices are way too high, the project won’t sell. How do you know if you’ve done your job?” The group jokes, “It’s always our fault!” At 50:38, David candidly responds, “We don’t sell… you can lead a horse to water.” Linda adds, “It always comes down to product, price, and location, and we’re just the icing on the cake.” David agrees, recalling being told, “We just make things look pretty, but we do a lot more than that.” Norm humorously chimes in, “Do you know how hard it is to put lipstick on a pig?” The group concludes that for a project to succeed, developers, architects, and marketers must align and communicate a unified message.
Enhancing Real Estate Success Through Tech-Enabled Branding and Customer Experience
Moving on from the Total Branding Methodology, Ben references a McKinsey & Co. article titled “The New Real Estate Investment Edge: Tech-Enabled Brand, CX, and Loyalty” (May 15, 2024), highlighting a key insight:
“Customer experience (CX) and loyalty are ubiquitous concepts in consumer-facing industries. But in the real estate world, only the hospitality sector is known for a laser focus on consumer experiences that inspire customer loyalty and build brands. It doesn’t have to be this way. Large single-family residential (SFR) and multifamily residential (MFR) platforms now have the scale to build brands that clearly communicate a quality promise and make tenants want to stay.”
He asks Norm, “I see on your list of projects a number of rental and commercial properties. Are you staying involved with these projects after they are built and completed? How can your services help with customer loyalty and the project and developer branding post-occupancy?” At 55:08, Norm explains, “Once the building is turned over, everyone is out, developer included.” He describes how customer experience in real estate remains focused on Platinum Brokers, as long-term engagement post-occupancy is rarely prioritized in the industry.
Ben continues reading from the article, quoting: “The highest-performing companies have numerous things in common, including technology investments that enable personalization (such as emails that remember a tenant’s birthday or pet’s name), new operating and staffing models (such as centralized leasing and renewals teams that serve multiple buildings), investments in brand advertising, and digital touchpoints that create transparency (such as an app for tenants to check on the status of maintenance requests). Tenants clearly perceive more value in buildings managed this way, and this value flows directly to top-line revenue and net operating income (NOI).”
He asks Linda, “Once a rental building is fully leased-up, is your firm staying engaged with the developer-landlord and extending your expertise and services to tenant management, retention, and satisfaction? And if not, why not?” At 57:56, Linda shares that her firm remains involved even after a building is fully leased, emphasizing the importance of consistent branding throughout the asset’s lifecycle.
Continuing with the article, Ben reads another excerpt:
“As companies think about building brands, it’s useful to consider sea changes reshaping tenant expectations. As more people work from home, residential complexes may be supplanting workplaces as places of interpersonal connection. A recent poll found that 55 percent of Americans in 2023 placed high importance on community activities, up from 29 percent in 2001. Brands could provide a sense of belonging that is increasingly important to consumers. Real estate companies tell us that when a resident reports that they know someone else in the community, they are more likely to renew their lease. It may be easier to leave four impersonal walls than it is to leave a social circle.”
Ben turns back to David, asking, “I have been working on a lot of studies for condo developers looking to get into rental development as the pre-construction market has slumped. Will developers need to think differently about their brand and their project branding for rental properties versus ownership? Secondly, do you have any idea how to create a ‘social circle’ like the article mentions within a rental building?” At 59:53, David explains how branding tactics evolve based on tenure, emphasizing that while strategies differ, the goal remains the same—creating a place where people want to live. He highlights the potential of fostering social circles through amenities and community-driven design, which can ultimately drive tenant retention and strengthen brand loyalty.
Challenges and the Role of AI
Lastly, Ben reads a post from LA ads on LinkedIn saying: “Harnessing AI in Google Ads for Real Estate: Supercharging Lead Generation
AI is revolutionizing digital marketing by making campaigns more efficient and cost-effective. In real estate, it helps target the right audience at the right time, maximizing ROI and driving high-quality leads.
A prime example of this innovation is our marketing strategy for M6 Condos, the sixth tower of Urban Capital’s M City community in Mississauga, Ontario.
🚀 Performance Max: We used AI to optimize ads across Google’s network—YouTube, Display, and Search—boosting exposure and engagement.
💡 Smart Bidding: With AI, we adjusted bids in real time based on user behavior and intent, leading to more efficient spending and higher conversions.
🔑 Responsive Search Ads: By using both broad and exact match keywords, AI allowed us to deliver relevant ads to a wider audience, focusing on high-intent buyers.
👥 Audience Insights: AI helped us identify potential buyers, first-time homeowners, and investors, while custom audiences from competitor analysis further boosted conversions.
By simultaneously running Performance Max and Search Ads, we amplified results and enhanced ROI for M6. This AI-driven approach enabled us to deliver high-quality and cost-effective leads in real-time.”
Ben asks David about the use of AI in real estate marketing, referencing LA Inc.’s use of AI for M6 Condos. “What AI are you using to accomplish these goals and objectives?” Tune in at 1:05:30 to hear the group discuss their insights on AI and digital marketing, and how each firm is using it to support their work.
Before wrapping up the episode with Rapid Fire, Ben asks each guests about their biggest challenges in today’s market. Tune in at 1:09:13 for their responses. During Rapid Fire, the guests answer questions like: When was the last time you gave out a business card? Which short form do you use most often: PSF, SEO, CRM or KPI? Prior to foreign buyer ban, did you ever get project registrations for a development where more than 10% were from people outside of Canada? Are the golden years of 25,000 new condo sales a year behind us? Are printed new condo brochures worth the money? How much longer before the average person cannot tell the difference between a rendering and a photo of a new apartment building? You were on Storeys.com Most Influential People in Ontario Real Estate, anyone you think was missing from the list? And more!
Join Ben Myers, David Klugsberg, Linda O’Connor, and Norm Li for a thought-provoking discussion on how branding, design, and marketing are driving innovation in Toronto’s real estate market. Don’t miss Episode 77 of the Toronto Under Construction Podcast!
Tune in now to episode 77 of the Toronto Under Construction podcast!
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