A timeless multifamily brand transcends trends
From generative AI to amenity wars, we can all get a little bit of whiplash trying to keep track of multifamily trends. We’re here to tell you that you can create a timeless multifamily brand without trying to keep up with the breakneck pace of every trend out there.
Our approach to multifamily branding, design and marketing keeps residents at the heart of everything, and that’s a great place to start when considering what it means to have a timeless brand.
Let’s dive into a few specifics:
Trend 1: Generative AI
You can’t open a news or social media site without reading about the future of generative AI. You probably have also seen one too many awkward (or downright creepy) genAI images alongside stories or posts.
This trend more than others can leave property managers and marketing teams feeling conflicted. We get it. You don’t want to miss out on tools that make life smoother and more efficient, but we urge you to proceed with intention.
Timeless: A human touch
Ok, look. AI has arrived and won’t disappear anytime soon. It has a place in multifamily, but we know from experience that residents will see right through you if you rely solely on generative AI tools to create your look, feel and voice. Residents want a human touch when it comes to choosing where to live and where to spend their hard-earned housing income.
The Branding Journal sums it up nicely:
“As Generative AI becomes more popular, many people are also looking for real-life, human experiences. With so much time spent online, there’s a growing interest in balancing it with offline activities and spending time outdoors. Real-world, screen-free experiences will be welcomed, alongside traditional marketing.
People also want brands to feel more relatable and emotional. Research from Adobe and Canva shows that humor will be used more in 2025 to make messages feel light and friendly, and simple, natural imagery will become more popular too.”
Yes and yes! Your brand should have a personality – not an algorithm. Use all the AI tools you want to automate billing and maintenance processes, but don’t let it take your property’s (and your people’s) heart. Tap into real human brainpower to create compelling and authentic stories that genuinely speak to potential renters.
Trend 2: Beige
Gray is out, we tell you, and you probably own at least one pair of the super on-trend beige sweats, right? Well, it’s back in for interiors and logos as well – but that doesn’t mean it suits your property’s brand.
Go for warmth, sure, but it doesn’t have to be the same shade of beige everyone else is using.
Timeless: Unique-to-you color palettes
If beige (or gray or any other extreme neutral palette) doesn’t fit your brand, then leave this trend by the curb. With a huge spectrum of color available to you, why follow the herd?
Color provides a powerful way to connect with people on an emotional level. Carleton University shares how colors (colours in Canada):
“…can elicit specific emotions and affect us in many different ways as they have the ability to create specific moods. Colour sets the mood of brand expression. Emotions are powerful and have the ability to drive decision making. Brands want to cultivate strong emotional connections with their customers and this can’t be done with just a logo; colours are needed to cultivate these emotions.”
Maybe your brand is more of a Lady Gaga in electric blue than Simon Cowell in a white t-shirt. Neutrals can read as classic and chic, but other colors have caché as well. Work with your design/branding team to select a palette that hits all the right notes for your brand and the people in your community.
Trend 3: Influencer marketing
Remember when your Instagram feed showed you people you actually chose to follow and not an endless stream of so-called “influencer content”? Yeah. (Looks off dreamily.) Those were the days.
Influencer marketing seemed like such a great strategy, until every Ashlee and Camryn started pushing everything from eyelash extensions to influencer-branded burgers.
Timeless: Real people telling real stories
Most real people (read: your residents and prospective renters) look to social media for a sense of connection as well as inspiration. Better connection happens in marketing when you focus on telling real stories.
Find your happy residents and ask them for testimonials or video shorts talking about how much they love your community. Host resident social media contests and let people express themselves their way.
Trend 4: Speakeasies and saunas
Any number of “hot” amenities could show up on the trend list as developers try to woo renters. This one popped up in San Francisco recently, for example.
Even the top-tier of the luxury multifamily market can’t afford to upgrade amenities constantly, and following these trends becomes an impossible cat-and-mouse chase.
Timeless: Understanding your residents’ real needs and lifestyles
Amenities do matter, but only if they match your residents’ needs. Start by understanding your current residents and ask them about their ideal lifestyles. Chances are, you will hear people talk about safety, comfort and convenience first. That’s their “must have” list. Everything else is a “nice to have.”
Examples of must-haves:
- Safe parking
- Functional appliances
- Space to work without distraction (in-unit or common space)
- Facilities for pets (if a pet-friendly facility)
Examples of nice-to-haves:
- A nice pool and outdoor lounge
- On-site, community-building events
- Fitness facilities and/or group classes
- Luxurious common spaces
A community that deeply considers what residents really need and want will go much further in attracting and retaining renters.
Final thoughts
Trends can help you uncover the current behavior of consumers, and some trends may have a place in your multifamily branding. However, timeless classics endure for years in spite of trends. As a multifamily brand trying to stand out from the crowd – while simultaneously trying to deliver an impeccable resident experience – you must choose your strategy wisely.
Understanding your residents on a deeper, more human level, can help you strike the right balance.
We can help you cut through the noise to create a unique and intentional branding and marketing strategy designed with your residents in mind. Reach out to learn more about our collaborative and creative approach to multifamily branding, design and marketing.
