me&dave recently created a fresh brand and identity for one of London's most impressive mixed-use developments, One Crown Place in EC2, with apartments, communal living and work spaces, destination restaurant, hotel and private members' club. The brand celebrates the lifestyle that target consumers can enjoy on the premises themselves and in the immediate vicinity and surrounding areas - creating a great work-life balance.
me&dave decided to show the location in 'a new light' - that brief but bewitching time at dusk and dawn when the City is bathed in a golden glow and corporate zeal takes a back seat. The beautifully shot 'golden hour' images, art directed by me&dave, are central to the branding and placemaking work and have been used across all digital and print marketing collateral. The golden hour theme also references the development's terracotta-clad exterior, which adds much-needed warmth to a skyline increasingly dominated by steel and glass.
The task was to change the perceptions of City living, to communicate the value of life in a dense, iconic urban space that still appreciates the importance of a good work-life balance and to play up the burgeoning social and cultural scene, which is giving its neighbours a run for their money. To this end, the brand campaign material focuses on what the location can offer, as well as specifics about the development, appreciating that the target audience care as much about what's going on around them as they do the actual space in which they're living.
Central to the campaign are beautifully bound, hard-back books that bring to life the district and showcase images of the City and surrounding neighborhoods. With evocative café, bar and street scenes, they give a taste of what life will be like for residents.
me&dave also conceived 'The City Scene,' One Crown Place's very own quarterly newspaper. Available locally, it's designed to create a real buzz in the area and enable One Crown Place to develop and maintain a fluid and responsive relationship with buyers and the community.
"Our job was to challenge perceptions and switch people on to the exciting and unexpected urban lifestyle that's up for grabs at what is one of the most significant mixed-use schemes in the capital right now," said Mark Davis, Creative Director and Co-founder of me&dave. "The dynamics of the City are changing: it's less about grey suits and ties. More and more restaurants and bars are moving in that don't just cater to the office crowd. Capturing the theme of 'seeing the City in a new light' has enabled every aspect of our campaign to come together and provide a beautiful starting point for the brand."
