How a simple word change opened up a new market

A leading UK retirement housebuilder wanted to rebrand its independent living offer to appeal to younger people in their sixties, who were hesitant about moving into an independent living development.

We ran two phases of research.

Talking to prospective purchasers to identify:

• Their underlying needs and barriers
• Their reactions to the offer
• Which of four shortlisted brand names best conveyed the offer’s strengths

Testing the winning name alongside a range of straplines and logos, to make the brand more motivating and distinctive.

People found the offer itself motivating, but resented the term ‘retirement living’, which implied a shift to a life with less control and less variety.

We identified four characteristics of a successful name, logo and strapline:

• Clarify the offer: independent living, not assisted living or a care home
• Clarify the key benefit: more time, and more freedom to live the life you want
• Complement the company name: soften its slightly corporate feel
• Be distinctive: eye-catching, memorable and ownable

• The name: dropping ‘retirement’ in favour of ‘living’ positioned the brand as a reliable company for people who want the best out of life.
• The logo: a monogram that felt eye-catching, distinctive and established, without being overly corporate.
• The strapline: a short line built around lifestyle and choice, which clarified the offer in a way that felt emotive, empowering and exciting.

• Success criteria are key: knowing the benefits the brand should communicate, and the barriers it should tackle, is half the battle.
• Test in context: show the brand as it would be seen in the real world, alongside existing communications, and don’t draw attention to it until reactions to the whole offer are understood.
• Check credibility: find out whether people believe the company can deliver what the branding promises.