Hughes Development

Building a Brand for Urban Living

With a long history of unique and forward-thinking developments under their belt, the folks at Hughes Development came to Matchbox in 2008 to help develop a brand identity for their latest project, a Fort Worth mixed-use development called So7.

Hughes knew they had something special; 24 acres of river-front property along trendy 7th Street and the Trinity River project. Plans for the development included high-end townhomes, casual condos, an artsy loft building, and a shopping center geared toward smaller boutiques and independent restaurants. We all knew it was going to be a special place, but with little more than a hole in the ground to show for it when we started out, we needed a way to talk about it. It needed an identity, and it needed a soul.

Bringing the Brand to Life
Matchbox worked with Ken Hughes and his team to identify the unique spirit of So7. We dug in, and we dug deep. We talked with local residents and pored through demographic data to identify our target market and we surveyed the landscape to identify where we could not just fit in, but stand out. The resulting Brand Positioning documents identified So7 as a one-of-a-kind residential development delivering both the excitement of a downtown setting and the comforts and convenience of a little more space. So7 would be a place with green grass and tall trees, access to the park and river, and comfortable amenities like private garages – but it would also be a place just steps from Sundance Square and Fort Worth’s Cultural District. Literally an oasis among the energy of Downtown Fort Worth. Not only did this positioning set So7 apart from its grittier urban competitors, but it was a perfect fit for the more casual and laid-back nature of the Fort Worth consumer.

Spreading the Word
With a clear brand positioning to work from, we set out to create a set of marketing materials that would clearly communicate the message and resonate with the audience. “Urban Living on the Park” became our headline, which captured both the spirit of the development and its single largest unique selling point – adjacency to the Trinity River Park. The design was clean, modern and fresh, but hinted at softer elements of nature that only So7 could offer. The ad campaign, shot by our great friend and collaborator Dick Patrick, playfully paired urban and natural elements to reflect that unique combination only found at So7.

The combined brand positioning and resulting marketing campaign for So7 successfully created not only an image for the property but helped to define the essence of what the development would become. If you’re headed to Fort Worth, be sure to stop by!