“We needed a statement to put Nieuw Bergen on the map.”
From the very first plans for the development of Nieuw Bergen, it was clear that this was going to be an exceptional project. All at once, the crowded city centre of Eindhoven gained over 220 sustainable residences divided over seven buildings in various segments. The eye-catching design is the work of an internationally-renowned architect firm, and the target audience stretches from the Brainport region to the very corners of the world. Gewest13 was contracted to take care of the branding, the website and the campaign.
Gewest13 creative director Tom Eele explains: “A project like this has a lead time of many years. All the various parties involved have their own vision on the project: the municipality, the developer and the architects, for example. We became part of the process early on, even before the tender for the developer came through. That involvement in the development gave us quite the advantage.”
In an area development project like Nieuw Bergen, it's important that everything ties together properly. The branding connects the architecture to the identity of the area.
The branding of an area
From the very start, we had a simple goal: how to convey the character of this project to the right target audience? There is so much to say to various target audiences, but you want to avoid a generic story. In close cooperation with developer SDK, we gradually created the Nieuw Bergen brand.” Branding sessions were at the basis of the area branding process. Colleague Ruud van Esch adds: “The brand is developed based on the core values that distinguish Nieuw Bergen. On the one hand, the project is iconic and metropolitan, but on the other hand, Nieuw Bergen represents a feeling of safety. We then determined a target audience based on demographic characteristics and lifestyle and developed a recognisable brand story.”
Light as a starting point
In area development projects like Nieuw Bergen, it’s important that everything ties together properly. The branding connects the architecture to the identity of the area. The design by architect MVRDV, therefore, was key to this branding process. The characteristic roofs with their 45-degree slopes do not just turn Nieuw Bergen into an eye-catcher, they also add more light and liveability to the neighbourhood. Gewest13 named the seven buildings after the seven prismatic colours (by Isaac Newton) that form the spectrum of white light. This gives a whole new meaning to Eindhoven, City of Light.
Iconic living
Tom Eele: “The added value for the future residents soon became clear. You don’t get many opportunities like this. If there is any place you can embrace sophisticated metropolitan life, this is it. The branding of Nieuw Bergen is based on the exclusive character of the area. The target audience makes a conscious choice for urban life, and this goes for both the mid-tier apartments and the absolute luxury of the penthouses. ‘Iconic Living. Own It.’ is not just a pay-off, but a powerful statement that fits the ambitions of a project like this.”
Website focussed on experience and dynamics
An iconic project deserves an iconic website. Gewest13 developed a website with an international character, focussed on experience and dynamics. The visuals and images are of high quality, and visitors are constantly tantalised by the lifestyle they could embrace in Nieuw Bergen. Eele: our starting point was a website that represents the towering ambitions of developer SDK Vastgoed and the city of Eindhoven. The basis is now ready. Over the next months, we are going to roll out a smart online campaign to reach the (inter)national target audience.”