Anomaly Toronto has landed new business with Great Gulf, the Toronto-based real estate developer with residential, office, mixed-use, retail and industrial properties throughout North America.
Three agencies were invited to take part in a competitive pitch process. Karen Gold, Great Gulf’s director of marketing for low-rise residential, was most impressed by what she called the “hot, new kid on block” (Anomaly Toronto opened in April 2012).
The assignment is not for a specific community development, but for a new technology related to how homes are built. Though the tech is under wraps, “they’re looking at ways to change how people think about buying homes,” said Franke Rodriguez, partner and president of Anomaly Toronto.
Anomaly’s work will encompass everything from brand strategy and positioning to execution. “We’ll be developing a new name, a logo, the design, the communication style, and then bringing it to life,” said Rodriguez, noting that they’ll focus on the usual real estate channels, such as sales centres and online.
This is Anomaly’s first client in real estate development. “It’s a bit of a deficiency because we know nothing about home manufacturing,” said Rodriguez. But inexperience ensured a fresh perspective, he said.
“When you spend a lot of time working in a category, you start to pick up the behaviour and vocabulary of that category,” saidd Rodriguez. “We’re not coming in with preconceived notions.”
The project will go live in early 2014, said Gold, and there’s potential for an ongoing relationship and a larger portfolio of work for Anomaly.
Since the agency opened its Canadian doors last spring, big clients have included Budweiser, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Mini and Kraft.
