Why Property Brands Matter

Once upon a time, the expense and time it takes to build strong brands were reserved for only the most elite assets. But today, in keeping with the evolution of the competitive real estate landscape, brands—and the marketing strategies they empower—have become a more integral part of marketing efforts to increase visibility and appeal to prospective tenants.

The commercial real estate industry has come to grasp the importance of branding in the built environment. And for good reason: your brand is an expression of who you are and why you matter. But too often, “branding” becomes a check-the-box item in a property’s leasing and marketing agenda—so much so that it loses its meaning.

With this in mind, let’s take a few steps back to unpack why property brands matter—and how they should function as an extension of your real estate strategy.

Why bother with branding?

1. Brands de-commoditize your offering.

Let’s face it. Many commercial properties tout the same advantages: central location, modernized space plans, collaboration-focused amenities…and the list goes on. Knowing how to communicate your property’s value proposition is critical to your marketing strategy, but what happens when your attributes start to look similar to those of the property down the street?

Think about a favorite consumer brand and what makes it successful. In many cases, it’s not the actual value of the product—it’s the perceived value, the emotional resonance between product and consumer. Brands have the power to catalyze emotional connections, which will favorably widen the “preference gap” between you and your nearest competitor. It’s why people will pay hundreds for designer sunglasses versus a generic pair with the same functionality—and it could be the reason why your tenant prospect ultimately signs the deal.

2. Brands create trust.

Trust is an immeasurable asset—literally. It’s difficult to quantify, and you don’t see it working in real time. And yet, its effects are exponential in the world of marketing. A 2021 study showed that 81% of polled consumers cited trust as a deciding factor in their purchasing decisions, while only 34% trusted the brands they currently used. This disparity highlights a powerful untapped area of opportunity: the ability to influence behavior simply by building a strong sense of rapport with your targeted audience. Simply put, winning trust can win deals.

3. Brands change perceptions.

When marketing your property, it’s not uncommon to find yourself fighting against pre-existing negative perceptions. A successful brand has the power to change your audience’s relationship with their preconceived notions of your asset—either by creating newfound appeal for the shortcoming itself, or by enhancing the perceived value of other property attributes to lessen the impact of its supposed weaknesses.

For example, one of CBRE’s clients, KBS, owned a property that had become known in its market as a more “traditional” building at a time when brand new, Class A product reigned supreme in the eyes of tenant prospects. To solve for this, CBRE Calibre Creative Group conducted a thoughtful and strategic rebrand of the asset—reframing the typical tenant experience at the property based on deep-dive market and prospect discovery findings. As a result, CBRE inked two new leases and catalyzed a steady stream of revitalized tour activity—all thanks to this strategic shift in perception.

Amplifying the Outcomes: What should your brand accomplish?

Your brand should be holistic and consistent.

Consistency is the key to trust. Everything—from your brand’s visuals and voice, to the tour experience, to the culture you cultivate on-site—should embody your property’s defined ethos.

Your brand should give your property a voice.

Welcome to a world where walls can talk. A great brand is much more than a logo or color palette. It’s your property’s human element—its persona—capable of striking a personal chord with your prospects.

Your brand should future-proof your asset.

Why bother creating a brand for a well-positioned asset that’s poised to lease itself? The answer is simple: times are always changing. The economy is in flux, and so is demand for commercial space. Established brand equity will give your asset resiliency to weather whatever storms might be on the horizon.

Your brand. Your advantage.

A meaningful brand is much more than a logo. It’s a holistic identity that embodies everything your asset brings to the table. It’s the experience your audience has when interacting with your building. It’s a story about why your asset has meaning beyond its physical attributes…and why your tenant prospects should care.

When executed well, your brand can be the reason why a tenant chooses to sign with you versus your most cutthroat competitor. And in some cases, it can be the reason they happily agree to pay top dollar.

Commercial real estate is a business-to-business industry. But at the end of the day, it’s people who are making the decisions. Bricks and mortar won’t tip the scales…but emotional brand connections will.