Insights

In an industry used to disruption, retailers strive for a deeper connection with their audience.

A meme states that “marketing is like asking someone to go on a date while branding is what gives them a reason to say yes.” Increasingly, retailers must go farther and deeper to not only attract, but also demonstrate their worth. Beyond products and services, strong awareness and values translate to branding bona fides leading to credibility and acceptance in the eyes of consumers in a hyper-informed world.

Ross Kimbarovsky writes in Chain Store Age that the global pandemic has pushed smart brands to evolve in their communication, with “purpose-driven marketing” being a key way to connect with an audience that, more and more, looks for retailer alignment on social issues. By connecting through a common cause they both believe in, whether human rights, race, environmental awareness, poverty, gender inequalities or other issues, brands show they care past the solely commercial causes and communities. The CSA article cites a recent study by the Zeno Group that found consumers are 4.5 times more likely to recommend a brand and four times more likely to do business with it when a brand follows and articulates a strong purpose.

At infinitee, we believe purpose-driven marketing shouldn’t just be a pandemic response. According to Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Global Human Capital Trends Survey, CEOs pointed to societal impact as the top success factor for annual performance for the first time ever. That was in 2019. Millennials, now the biggest generation in America, came of age during the Great Recession. Their resulting financial struggles led to if not healthy cynicism, at least a strong ability to detect empty promises and those brands lacking substance. As Kimbarovsky advises, it’s always a good idea to reassess your brand messaging and ensure that your marketing strategies are innovative, creative, highly engaging, and high impact — as well as purpose-driven.

When Winston Churchill said ‘never waste a good crisis,’ we’re pretty sure he was speaking about something other than retail marketing strategy. However, brands that don’t view the post-pandemic landscape as a critical opportunity to reconnect with customers and prospects will definitely fall behind. That’s how tumultuous 2020 was. A sea change like that requires brands to see the change, so they can then act. (Hey, at least we didn’t trot out the trite ‘n-w n-rmal’!)

Market research should be a regular habit, infinitee believes, but especially after a once-in-a century upheaval like COVID-19. One-on-one feedback, surveys and questionnaires yield unique insights to help brands understand impacted customers and how their needs and attitudes have changed. From that, retailers can overhaul or modify their brand positioning, image and communication… or even identity.

And there are even more benefits to brands having their fingers on the pulse of customer wants and ideals. Come for their feedback, insights and direction and stay for the user-generated content (UGC). A retailer can’t have too many unpaid brand ambassadors or influencers, after all.  

Kimbarovsky writes that UGC has been “growing exponentially” for the past five years, “largely due to influencer marketing.” He cites studies that show that people are 28% more likely to engage with UGC — including the honest reviews, real emotions and natural reactions of real people — than traditional company-based posts. It only makes sense in a consumer age where people are highly informed and motivated by strong values such as commitment to social causes. Authenticity matters and UGC, with all of its powerful viral potential, reflects relatability and trustworthiness, which builds the brand that grows the retail business.

To thine own self be true, another Englishman wrote, a few centuries before Churchill. The new truth in retail marketing, whether in a crisis or not, focuses both inward and outward. Connecting beyond the commercial with consumers calls for marketing that is purpose-driven, well-researched and user-based.

While new tech tools get a lot of attention, office teams must still rely on time-tested protocols and enduring values for effective collaboration and synergy in the COVID-19 era.

As the professional world fluctuated during the pandemic between Wizard of Oz-like ways — there’s no place like home! — and a Southwest Airlines commercial — wanna get away? — elite teams kept doing what they do: communicating. It hasn’t been easy though given the once-in-a-century shakeup of work and office routine.

Good, clear and open communication is essential, from the savvy senior executive who is no stranger to meetings with microphones down to the rookie sales guy and from the head of HR to that manager who has to troubleshoot Microsoft Teams connection issues. Efficient internal communication not only keeps everybody on the same page, it also enables the unit to be more than the sum of its parts.

COVID-19 obviously required major adjustments in work location and routine, but it also pushed a lot of people out of their communication comfort zones. Team leaders who liked to encourage with a quick stop at a person’s desk couldn’t anymore, and employees who needed regular personal feedback have missed out. As business author Matt Oechsli writes, adding to the challenges is the fatigue people have experienced from the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, making efficient internal communication even harder.

Variety can also be the spice of pandemic work life, we say. Mix it up with your team, from regularly scheduled virtual group meetings — the weekly session has always been a staple in elite teams, according to Oechsli — to personal telephone calls, regular business activity broken up by the social engagement of a happy hour, and variation in terms of communication tools, including internal messaging given that a person can’t walk over to a colleague’s desk at a moment’s notice like before.

infinitee endorses any high-tech solution that keeps the office team connected, from the residential and retail industries to healthcare and others, but it still must align with the high ideals of the company’s mission. Oechsli touches on that and more in his “foundation of internal communication best practices”:

• Weekly meetings shouldn’t be a check-the-box scheduling item partly done to make sure your personnel are awake. There’s a mission to be embraced — and refreshed! Your team goals are big and important, which means they require repetition, progress reports and feedback. Regular communication that lets team members know where they stand, what lies ahead and what they’ve done well — remember to celebrate your people! — are essential.

• “Role clarity,” as Oechsli calls it, makes for healthy, efficient team boundaries while peer-to-peer training is a great way to share individual strengths with the group. Both are so important, the former given the fluid, ad hoc nature of the pandemic year as it relates to many team member responsibilities. And there’s a, shall we say, peerless connection when an employee can teach or advise a fellow associate, whether it be customer service approach, organizational skills or whatever.

• Oechsli likes to use the phrase “inspecting what you’re expecting” when it comes to managing teams and ensuring that they are communicating in an elite way. Performance reviews have always been important, but they’ve grown even more vital in the pandemic era. When an employee is more face to face with his or her cat than their work team, then there’s more than a remote chance they can drift from the common cause. Reviews are a good way to remedy that. You’re also able to “connect with [team members] on an emotional level—essentially, take their attitudinal temperature,” says Oechsli.

There’s been so much change in the past business year, but some things should never change. Consistent, positive engagement and team-oriented efforts are critical, as are personal feedback and role definition for the individual. While much effort — virtual and otherwise — is required to achieve elite team communication during a pandemic and beyond when we re-enter the office again, the benefits can be infinite.

The office sector is adapting to COVID-19 realities, but many changes are in service to a constant, the need for collaboration and personal connection at work.

The only constant in life is change, a wise man once said. We don’t think he was an office real estate pro, but his age-old platitude certainly applies to the sector. In the past year, COVID-19 has drastically changed how we gather together to both work and play.

Owners, developers and architects in the $2 trillion industry are working hard to update spaces so that companies can once again collaborate face to face, without concern for microbes or mute buttons. Design-wise, offices are taking on elements of hospitals – we hope that food is not one of them! – rather than hospitality and increasing unit sizes while adding outdoor spaces and flexible workspace areas, according to experts at a Bisnow webinar. Enhanced air filtration and antibacterial surfaces are a big focus in the fight against viral spread. Despite talk of hybrid work setups and variable shifts, hot-desking may not be as hot of an idea after the pandemic retaught us the value of personal space.

Perhaps the more things change — in the physical office environment — the more they stay the same, as in more and more companies are planning a full or mostly full return to the office. Only 17 percent of CEOs said that they will downsize their company’s footprint, according to the 2021 CEO Outlook Pulse Survey from KPMG (reported by GlobeSt.). Back in August 2020, the global accounting firm found that 69 percent of CEOs said they would reduce their office footprint.

When a company occupying more than 44 million square feet of office space worldwide announces its intention to return to the office “pretty much as we were pre-COVID,” that says quite a lot. That’s what Amazon Vice President of Global Real Estate and Facilities John Schoettler told Bisnow, with hopes for a fall return timetable.

Another multi-trillion-dollar industry, that of wellness, has certainly grown closer to the office sector during the pandemic year. But even that important priority is eclipsed by the human need for social interaction. As much as the office landscape has changed since March 2020, people still need that personal connection at the office, from the residential and retail industries to healthcare and beyond. You see it in Amazon’s plan and we feel it at infinitee in all we do.

With all due respect to our lead logician, the only other constant is connection. We need it in business — certainly high-impact marketing — and life in general. infinitee’s belief in endless possibilities and great ideas in marketing real estate comes ingrained with the values of teamwork, personal engagement, and customer service. We are thankful for the virtual value that tools like Zoom provide us to connect and collaborate from afar, but that face-to-face shared experience will always fuel us as brand makers, storytellers and creative advocates to not only deliver results, but do so with a fun, personal touch.

TO BE CONTINUED:The return to the office is one well-supported viewpoint, but there are also plenty of benefits to consider with work from home and flex scheduling. STAY TUNED for Part 2 of this conversation!

The 31-year real estate marketing agency wins the Silver Award for Best 55+ Integrated Marketing Strategy at the luxury retirement community in Atlanta.

infinitee is proud to announce that Peachtree Hills Place, a luxury 55+ retirement community in Atlanta, has been honored at the 2021 NAHB’s Best of 55+ Housing Awards, winning the Silver Award for Integrated Marketing Strategy. To increase brand awareness and drive sales at the amenity-rich, independent-living community, infinitee created and directed a detailed marketing plan, ranging from strategic planning to branding, traditional and digital advertising to video and photography.

“With Baby Boomers not just redefining senior living and the active-adult lifestyle, but doing so at a pace of 10,000 turning 65 every day between now and 2030, Peachtree Hills Place had to raise the bar in terms of how it engages that major market, and integrates media and other tactics to deliver a seamless and customer-centric experience,” said Barbara McGraw, Founder and CMO at infinitee. “This award is a very special recognition of our efforts to market a special place with expert activations, content development, digital marketing, and more.”

The NAHB’s Best of 55+ Housing Awards are billed as the only national honors celebrating the people, companies, projects, and programs that have advanced the industry through innovative marketing, outstanding design and construction, and community lifestyle features. For that reason — and the rich 80-year history of the 140,000-member trade organization — the awards have become a highly respected showcase for quality housing, innovation and emerging trends that appeal to the active adult and retiree demographic, attracting industry participants and media alike.

Judging is conducted by an expert panel of 55+ industry professionals from across the country representing expertise in development, architecture, universal design and aging-in-place, marketing, interior design, and lifestyle. Eligible projects were completed in the two years prior to the application deadline of Aug. 31, 2020.

Peachtree Hills Place is the first and only luxury 55+, equity-model continuing care retirement community in Atlanta’s prime Buckhead district. The Isakson Living community offers a long list of amenities, including a resort-style clubhouse and pool, central courtyard with regulation size croquet lawns, rooftop patio and open-air pavilion, community garden, art studio and woodworking shop, and a dog park.

Thanks to infinitee’s integrating technology, strategic perspectives and branding best practices – as well as the 2021 NAHB Best of 55+ Housing Award – many more people know of the brand promise of livable luxury at Peachtree Hills Place, a community where Boomers can “savor the rewards of a life well-played.”

Sooner Station, a first-of-its-kind, alumni-based senior living community that will connect the mind, body and spirit, gets the premium marketing connection.

Nothing gets the memories flowing and faces smiling like talk of one’s college years, when every day was an opportunity to learn and experience something new and make fresh connections with people and possibility. That spirited feeling will become a place for seniors with Sooner Station, a 188-unit first-class senior living community opening early 2022 and just minutes from the University of Oklahoma’s campus in Norman.

The uncommon lifestyle concept is now connecting with its target community – Boomers that are also Boomer Sooners, i.e., OU alums. Co-developer MedCore Partners and community manager Integral Senior Living (ISL) reached out to infinitee to help bring to market this one-of-a-kind community designed to echo the energetic, can-do spirit of the University of Oklahoma. Relying on its 30 years of real estate marketing experience, the agency is driving all strategy, creative and marketing to support pre-leasing efforts leading to Sooner Station’s February 2022 grand opening.

Situated on the north side of University North Park, one of the area’s most popular mixed-use destinations, Sooner Station will offer 100 Independent Living, 64 Assisted Living and 24 Memory Care apartments. A premier senior living sponsor of the University of Oklahoma Alumni Association and developed by MedCore and The National Realty Group (TNRG), Sooner Station will offer Boomers a vibrant social events calendar and programming, elevated residential amenities and dining options, and more.

Seniors at Sooner Station share not only a desire to celebrate the golden age of life, but also an intense passion for OU. Residency includes annual membership in the alumni association, premier access, including transportation, to all campus events, the monthly Speaker Series featuring OU professors and additional onsite gameday events. In February, Sooner Station and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) announced an agreement to begin course offerings on site during summer 2022.

Sooner Station residents will also benefit from ISL’s many nationally recognized amenity programs that have enhanced senior living communities across the country for decades. Vibrant Life®, Generations Memory Care and Elevate® dining will be incorporated into the new community. No matter the residents' physical or mental health, programming is developed to meet them where they are in their aging journey, maximize quality of life and keep them as active as possible within their personal restrictions.

An innovative, uniquely local and spirited senior living community delivering an unparalleled residential experience shouldn’t be served by the same old marketing plan. infinitee’s dynamic direct mail, email marketing and digital campaigns will launch in May with the goal of a 10-month lease-up. A full year before the grand opening, it launched the full Sooner Station website with data capture, lead generation digital strategy, and campaign implementation with integrated retargeting.

infinitee knows how to make Class A websites and their mobile-friendly application is the best I’ve ever seen in the senior living space, said Tiffany Cobern, MedCore Partners’ director of seniors housing operations.

The development partners tapped infinitee to strategically drill down to the most effective, efficient and innovative tactics to help spread the word about Sooner Station. In addition to the website launch, the agency contributed its creative and strategic expertise to the community’s leasing brochure and social media platforms.

All senior living developments check the various locational boxes, but what makes a community truly the place to be? More than an active adult community, Sooner Station is a destination. With an energetic, can-do spirit of its own, infinitee is proud to pave the marketing way to the first-class senior living community.

While multifamily and senior living communities increasingly leverage technology, they should always do so in service to customer experience.

You’re liable to run into gearheads at the Apple Store, auto repair shop or even on the hiking trail. Beware, if given the chance, they’ll talk your ear off about the latest bells and whistles on their phone, ride or new camping equipment. Technological innovation is important, even vital, for most industries, including multifamily and senior living, but such tools should be part of the overall customer experience – and your brand story – not the proverbial trees preventing us from seeing the full forest.

As Michael Procopio, vice president of development at The Procopio Cos., writes in RE Business Online

, more Gen Z buyers (43 percent) and millennials (35 percent) rated smart home features as “very important.” And the desire for technology will continue to grow as more enter the housing market and older generations adapt to its use. While these preferences will continue to be reflected in the design of residential communities across the country, it’s not an end in and of itself. The rising tech innovation supports the evolution of amenities at multifamily and senior living developments which, in turn, elevate the resident experience.

Of course, everyone’s experience changed in the past year under the harsh reality of the pandemic. Technology was there again, this time to help residents feel safer, keeping them connected, but at the same time socially distant. From virtual reality-driven leasing tours to various touchless capabilities and controlled access from smartphones, residential developers employed innovations for ease of use and to ease COVID-19 concerns. Procopio appropriately cautions though that it’s the goal, not the gear, that matters most: multifamily developers and operators may be tempted to “incorporate all technology… [but those] decisions should be driven by demographic trends and preferences and resident experience impacts.”

Baby Boomers, 10,000 of which will turn 65 every day between now and 2030, are redefining senior living development. This ain’t their parents’ "retirement home" situation, after all. They don’t want to be slowed down on their way to “ an engaging, entertaining life full of experiences.” Convenient tech tools, including tele-health and exclusive resident portals, allow them more time to focus on the well-earned joys of life.

For example, Peachtree Hills Place, the first and only luxury 55+, equity-model continuing care retirement community in Atlanta’s prime Buckhead district, offers a long list of community amenities. Residents can relax at the resort-style clubhouse and pool, central courtyard, rooftop patio or open-air pavilion; hone their crafts in the community garden, art studio and woodworking shop; and walk the property’s extensive trails or their best four-legged friend in the dog park. There’s a lot to focus on besides technological innovation, but that helps support and elevate the total customer experience.

To paraphrase a presidential poet, people often forget what you said or did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Multifamily and senior living residents want to feel comfort and experience quality and convenience. The ‘bells and whistles’ of technology may change their tune, but those core human values remain at the core of how multifamily and senior living communities should be designed, built and operated.

Retail, the most dynamic property sector, changes again – and always for the better.

For those trying to predict how the tale of retail will go, remember all of the experts and commentaries at the start of 2020 attempting just that. Those amounted to a big swing and a miss at an unprecedented coronavirus curveball. As the saying goes though, growth happens when you’re out of your comfort zone. Many retailers seized that opportunity and this one, too: never waste a crisis. Adversity is an opportunity to improve and further separate yourself from the competition, with teamwork and good ol’ thinking on those feet.

Retailers, including several of the largest chains, reacted to COVID-19 by adjusting to socially distant protocols and retrofitting stores to offer consumers alternatives like curbside, drive-thru and in-store pickups, in addition to online sales. As discussed in a recent blog, Tanger Outlets reopened their outdoor centers and saw a 90% business bounce-back from pre-COVID traffic averages. Customers have always prized convenience, which they get through the retailers’ online and in-app portals, as well as same-day pickup. And contactless pickup ensures safety through social distancing.

There’s more good news: the retail sector is accustomed to change. “Driven by continual shifts in fashion and consumer preferences, demographics, retailer innovation, and commerce technology, retail has always been the most dynamic property sector. Brands rise and fall, shopping patterns evolve, and retailers adapt. The process of ‘creative destruction’ never ceases,” according to PwC and the Urban Land Institute’s “ Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2021.”

Despite the ease of ecommerce, you can’t point and click your way to immersive “retailtainment” or even an authentic alfresco meal at your favorite restaurant. Customers value experience, now more than ever after a year of being cooped up at home. The pandemic will eventually be history, so balancing the bricks with the clicks, i.e., investing in the shopping experience to go with one’s online platform, is critical for business. Brian McGough, managing director for Hedgeye Risk Management, a Connecticut-based economic research firm, told Bisnow that “90% of retailers don't get it.”

A major question remains: how does the seismic event that made the year 2020 into a dumpster fire meme affect consumer shopping behaviors? eMarketer noted that many people either shopped online for the first time or shopped in new categories during the past 12 months. The work-from-home movement, which was called “the largest social experiment of all time” by one real estate research director, and the housing surge were definite trends away from dense living spaces and bricks-and-mortar commercial environments and toward more online consumer activity.

Retail researchers will be trying to pin down the “how many” and “how frequently” of the new consumer wave eMarketer referenced. Interestingly, the research firm also projected that ecommerce growth “will decelerate substantially this year” while overall worldwide retail will rebound to 5.1% growth, after a decline of 3% in 2020. January already showed signs of this as 23% of consumers surveyed by Coresight Research and reported by Bisnow said they purchased clothing and shoes in a bricks-and-mortar setting, a 6% bump from December, while online purchases of the same goods remained stagnant at 24%.

A retail sector on its toes? So it goes. For every pandemic punch in the economic gut, there are countless economic cycles that turn on you seemingly without warning, as well as the aforementioned tech disruptions, fickle consumer trends and other shifts, switches and transitions. Change is the only constant. For the retail sector, that’s business as usual, even amidst the very unusual.

Ancient Greek philosophy reminds us, “The only constant in life is change.” While 2021 planning may feel like throwing darts while blindfolded, one thing is certain — the new year will bring new consumer habits and major opportunities to revamp the way we engage our audiences.

Take a look at how COVID-consciousness has affected the major category of retail. A op-ed piece by Scott McKenzie, global head of the Nielsen Intelligence Unit, outlines five new types of holiday shoppers and what their differences mean for brands. For 2020, McKenzie foresees a pivotal shift in what we qualify as gift-worthy. Particularly, “Among the constrained groups, there will be opportunities for products not typically considered as living in the gift category. For example, ingredients that tie to a surge in home baking, increasingly expensive staples like fresh fruit, and DIY tools and supplies will be more than welcome for some this year.”

Meanwhile, Forbes is calling 2020 the first true “OmniHoliday” shopping experience. The article notes, “75% of the U.S.’s top 50 store-based retailers [...] are offering curbside or in-store pick up.” Target, for instance, saw a 700% jump in curbside pickups in Q3. Tanger Outlets, which also offer contactless pickup, reopened their outdoor Centers to a 90% rebound of pre-COVID traffic averages. This blend of convenience shopping (online or in-app) with the instant gratification of same-day pickup satisfies our newly-upended hierarchy of needs — the safety of social distancing, the comfort of easily accessible essentials, and the escapism necessary to navigate a winter of uncertainty — and helps retailers cope with mandates for decreased occupancy.

Online streaming services also underwent big changes. Zoom, the video conference platform now synonymous with that #wfhlife, reported that 2 trillion meeting minutes were logged in April 2020 between 300 million daily meeting participants in the same month. In their 2020 wrapup, Spotify announced a more than 1,400% increase in work-from-home themed playlists and a 180% increase in tune-ins to health and wellness podcasts. Our habits also reflected a global awakening to social justice, with more than 64 million streams of Spotify’s Black Lives Matter playlist; users created another 65,000 playlists in honor of the movement.

Shoppers are putting their money to work for causes, as well. Instagram users have tagged more than 7.5 million posts with #blackownedbusiness. This mainstreaming of minority-owned brands is reflected in our spending — Yelp reported a 7,043% YOY increase in searches for Black-owned businesses from May 25 to June 10. Of the 1.1 million minority-owned U.S. small businesses, McKinsey & Company estimates they employ more than 8.7 million workers and generate $1+ trillion per year. Last month, an American Express study revealed, “88% of U.S. consumers feel a personal commitment to support small businesses in the wake of the pandemic.” The same study estimated that small businesses recommended by our friends via social media could generate up to $197 billion in sales by end of year. Special hours, private shopping appointments, and local deliveries made by employees are among the top ways owners are working to meet this increased demand.

Examining how we shop is one thing, but understanding why is a much bigger task. More than ever, consumers are blurring the line between FOMO and YOLO, debating on a case-by-case basis whether the risk of an in-store purchase or an out-of-state trip is worth the reward. Etsy has tapped into the heart of the matter with their latest campaign, Gift Like You Mean It. As we rethink purchases and put more emphasis on finding unique items, we also ease some of the guilt and wistful thinking that comes from missing out on cherished traditions. It’s not all dark days ahead, however. Barb, our CMO, summed up the current market climate with this positive perception: America is a consuming country. We want convenience, sure, but we need the entertainment and socialization aspects of shopping as well.

infinitee is thrilled to announce that we have completed first-phase marketing for East Point Exchange (EPX) — a truly unique development that reimagines Main Street for mixed-use living. This work is the product of a partnership with Atlanta-based Kairos Development and Culture Labs. Through this collaboration, Kairos will soon break ground on the unique development designed to reflect East Point’s legacy of hospitality and hard work.

Now in the lease-up stage, our work on EPX began earlier this year. Due to the partners’ unique vision for the development, their commitment to honoring the spirit and pride of East Point, and the immense interest from key stakeholders in the city, we began with a full brand immersion to define a new way of life. From a vision and concept statement, our team built a hustle-and-grind look that is fresh and full of promise. We crafted a unique brand voice and consulted on the final development name. Our team also delivered a full-scope strategy with tiered targeting to drive commercial leasing as well as interest in the development as a destination.

Zach Williams, Marketing Director of Kairos Development, writes,

I can’t praise the work y'all have done enough. [...] It has the right language, look, and feel and it makes it very easy to believe in the future of East Point. Thanks again.

Randy Beavers, Principle at Culture Labs, adds, "Knowing how much impact this project is going to have on East Point, it is critical for us to build relationships and communicate effectively. infinitee has helped us start on the right foot by conveying our intent to create positive impact and value for the existing community, as well as for future generations, which is the spirit of this project."

Slated as a purpose-oriented and experiential community in the heart of East Point, EPX welcomes Doers of all races and creeds who want to have a hand in building a lifestyle that reflects their passions. The phased development concept will feature brand new multi-family residences, makers studios, a wellness campus, and flexible office space in restored historic buildings, as well as numerous arts and entertainment spaces, all connected by the East Point PATH. This park, trail and pedestrian system is now underway and will ultimately link the city to the Atlanta BeltLine’s southern crest. The PATH also connects EPX to the East Point MARTA station, making it a fully-walkable, game-changing alternative to in-town Atlanta neighborhoods.

We could not be more excited for this phenomenal project. This development is integral to East Point’s revitalization efforts and we are proud to play a part in bringing this community together for a beautiful future. — Barb McGraw, CMO & Founder

The full East Point Exchange website with data capture, lead generation digital strategy, and campaign implementation with integrated retargeting will go live after Thanksgiving. The leasing brochure is in-market and concept work has started for a grassroots video series that will spotlight the stories and faces of East Point’s long-time residents.

About infinitee Communications, Inc.infinitee is IN. INto advertising. INto problem-solving. INto creativity. For 30 years, infinitee’s expertise has been invaluable to many national and regional real estate, healthcare, B2C and B2B brands. The full-service agency specializes in branding, strategy, marketing, print and digital media, video and photography. Balancing strategy and creativity, building brand equity and driving sales is what infinitee is all about. Schedule a video call with Vince Vitti, Vice President of Business Development.

‘Tis the season of jolly shopping and, as we approach the uncharted territory of COVID-cautious holiday celebrations, it’s time to find some creative solutions for those can’t-miss traditions. While an article by CSA notes that “[p]ractical splurges and gifting driven by guilt will be the big sales drivers” this year, a social listening exercise by Material+ found that hope is trending across audiences. In their “ Redefining Empathy for an Uncertain 2021” webinar (October 2020) hosted by AdWeek, they shared, “Hope is the most-expressed emotion in people’s conversations about this year’s holidays.”

From a practical perspective, this could be the push marketers need to ditch some of the traditional tactics with diminishing returns. An Adobe Advertising whitepaper revealed that fewer than 1 in 5 shoppers are likely to purchase from a new brand during this holiday season. Instead of dumping dollars to cast a wide net for new customer acquisition, consider content-rich retargeting and geofencing to engage your existing shoppers and offer them a genuine value for returning. The whitepaper also shared that nearly 3 out of 4 Boomers declared search engines to be their primary “channel” for gift-buying. Given the demographic’s high levels of disposable income and brand loyalty, it may be worth weighting your ad spend to favor sponsored shopping results with Google.

Elsewhere, businesses are adjusting to stay in front of their audiences with authentic experiences that refocus the holiday spirit inward. Due to social-distancing mandates, there won’t be the hours-long wait to see Santa this year. For Tanger Outlets shoppers, the magic isn’t lost — they’ve partnered with JingleRing, a one-of-a-kind video service, that lets you book virtual visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus and enjoy story time right in your living room. (It even comes with a keepsake photo!) What’s truly magical about this invention is its inclusivity for all children. JingleRing proudly employs a wide cast of Santas to suit any family’s needs based on preferred faith, ethnicity and language – including American Sign Language. These private, in-home video calls also make it much easier for little ones with Autism or sensory issues, and anyone with mobility issues, to fully engage and enjoy the magic of the North Pole.

Another one of our clients, Promenade at Coconut Creek, is bringing a winter wonderland to South Florida. On November 21, they'll celebrate the first-ever Holiday Lane; a very merry drive-thru experience, with falling snow and appearances from Rudolph, Santa’s elves, and St. Nick himself. Neiman Marcus stores are keeping Santa busy this year, as well. Saturdays from November 28 through December 19, he’ll personally deliver every curbside pickup straight to your car. Neiman is also upping their legendary concierge-level service with an online Gift Finder for curated shopping as well as access to gift advisors via text, email and phone.

For the third year in a row, e-comm icon Amazon is throwing it way back to the days of circling your faves in the Sears Wish Book. This year’s full-color, printed toy catalogs feature dozens of product stories with captivating copy, nostalgic styling, cute winter-themed activities — and scannable QR codes that take you straight from the IRL wish pages to the Amazon listing (complete with “Free 2-Day Prime Shipping” plug). While no marketing tactic has had a comeback quite like the 2020 regeneration of the QR code, Amazon’s scan-to-shop catalog is a lasting solution to bridge the gap between wishlisting and gifting. Didn’t get one in the mail? You may be out of luck but they’ve got you covered with the Holiday Toy List categorized by age and interest, including a seemingly endless array of STEM and Arts & Craft products.

This year, we’re all more eager than ever to make the holidays special. In the same social listening activity by Material+, one commenter summed up the kid in all of us, “[We get] to sleep in, wear our pajamas all day, cook whatever we want, play with the new presents we got one another [and] watch whatever holiday movie we want.” Other consumer trends that are gaining traction everywhere from the subpages of Reddit to the covers of lifestyle magazines include gameday tailgating via Zoom and Ding-Dong Pot Luck dinners. Multi-person video calls quickly eliminate the geographical boundaries of getting together with extended family and friends — by cheering on your favorite teams from your own living room, everyone has dibs on the best seat in the(ir) house and on the last slice of pizza. For meals that just aren’t the same without those special recipes, families that live near each other are cooking big batches of their signature or sacred dishes then dropping off smaller servings at one another’s houses. That way, they share the same meal they’ve looked forward to all year while minimizing the risk of unsafe gatherings (and skipping the major kitchen clean-up, too!)

As our team preps for sign off before the big feast, we sincerely wish you health and happiness this holiday season. For more market trends and takeaways, keep an eye out for our upcoming Year in Review post.

infinitee is excited to announce our latest partnership with MedCore Partners and Integral Senior Living for Sooner Station at University North Park, a senior living destination in Norman, OK. Through this collaboration, we’re bringing to market a one-of-a-kind community designed to echo the energetic, can-do spirit of the University of Oklahoma. Opening November 2021, Sooner Station will offer 189 residences for active adults seeking a vibrant and spirited community with the added benefit of independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. Integral Senior Living will manage Sooner Station.

Sooner Station is ideally situated just east of Interstate 35 in University North Park, with direct access to the area’s most popular shopping, dining and social events. This distinctive location ensures residents will fully enjoy an active lifestyle with the added benefit of nearby medical care. What makes this property truly unique is its relationship with its collegiate namesake. Sooner Station is the premier Senior Living Community Sponsor of the OU Alumni Association, making it a destination for events, meaningful reunions and connections, continued learning opportunities, and campus visits. This is an industry-leading step in changing the way seniors housing approaches the intellectual, social, environmental and even occupational dimensions of wellness.

"Sooner Station is taking team spirit to the next level. We truly believe in bringing the best to market for every client — and infinitee is thrilled to support this unparalleled senior living experience."

— Barb McGraw, CMO & Founder

The Sooner Station grand opening is slated for November 2021. infinitee is driving all strategy, creative and marketing to support pre-leasing efforts leading to the capstone event.

Tiffany Cobern, Director of Seniors Housing Operations for MedCore Partners, shares, “While we're just beginning the exciting Sooner Station journey with infinitee, it's been nothing short of awesome. They know how to make Class A websites and their mobile-friendly application is the best I've ever seen in the senior living space. We're excited about this partnership and bringing Sooner Station to the Norman, OK community with this great team."

The full Sooner Station website with data capture, lead generation digital strategy, and campaign implementation with integrated retargeting will go live later this month.

About infinitee Communications, Inc.

infinitee is IN. INto advertising. INto problem-solving. INto creativity. For 30 years, infinitee’s expertise has been invaluable to many national and regional real estate, healthcare and B2B brands. The full-service agency specializes in branding, strategy, marketing, print and digital media, video and photography. Balancing strategy and creativity, building brand equity and driving sales is what infinitee is all about. Schedule a video call with Vince Vitti, Vice President of Business Development.

From myth-busting the Boomer generation to redefining wellness for a “new normal”, our INsights: Senior Living series has doubled-down on the marketing and seniors housing industries with new ideas on integrating technology, strategic perspectives, and branding best practices. This week, we’re wrapping up with a detailed look at this advice in action at Peachtree Hills Place and The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place (its on-site continuing care residences) in Atlanta, GA.

The Vision

infinitee is proud to be the agency of record for these Isakson Living properties. Our unique blend of real estate and healthcare expertise was the fitting solution for their Peachtree Hills Place vision — an amenity-rich, independent living community focused on active lifestyles with on-site continuing care. Located on 20 acres in its namesake historic neighborhood of Buckhead, the properties offer livable luxury within easy access to the neighborhood’s finest features.

Andy Isakson, managing partner of Isakson Living, was motivated to build this one-of-a-kind development when he undertook the task of helping his parents find a sophisticated community that was also equipped for their later years. Underwhelmed by the market, Isakson redoubled his efforts and visited 75 properties around the globe to identify what elements were integral to a long, healthy and happy life. Without exception, it was the sense of belonging that helped residents stay active and feel connected to a larger purpose; that sentiment became the cornerstone for our people-first brand strategy.

The Influencers

Unlike previous generations, Boomers are taking an earlier and much more deliberate role in the decision to move into an independent living community. For Peachtree Hills Place, we targeted affluent Boomers who would join as Members. Understanding this audience went much deeper than the common senior living statistics and assumptions. As the first and only resort-styled, equity model 55+ community in Buckhead, we identified the human truths that had caused a disconnect with the existing market. Boomers want convenience, recognition, freedom and wellness programs without the pressure to feel “always on” among their neighbors. Through the brand promise of livable luxury, we elevated the concierge-level services and on-site amenities into a lifestyle story that created understanding and validated the legacy of potential residents. The RebrandEarly in our discussions, Isakson shared his game-changing realization, “It’s all about the people”. Taking that perspective to heart, Peachtree Hills Place was rebranded as a vibrant community of accomplished individuals. Inspired by the fine details found throughout the property, such as original works of art, Craftsman architecture and two regulation-sized croquet courts, the concept of “A Life Well-Played” was introduced. This sophisticated word-play paid reverence to the unique life of each Member; that nuance of seeing people for who they are, set the community apart in a market otherwise focused on who they had been.

We carried this individualized perspective through the visuals by creating a vast library of custom lifestyle photography and Member interviews. This photo/video shoot took place on-site and featured real community Members engaging with each other and enjoying the community. We also elevated the iconic monogram into a mark of excellence that is supported by chic, tessellated line art and editorial-style collateral. A bright, nature-based neutrals color palette and modern serif font carry through the polished look while maximizing legibility for aging eyes. The final design was an exclusive mix of destination marketing that pulled inspiration from hospitality, travel, fashion and culture.

The Strategy

Peachtree Hills Place offers an unrivaled equity model of membership. The lease-up strategy for this particular property had to educate audiences on two fronts: the literal value of buying into a luxury retirement community as well as the intangible value of prolonged wellbeing as a result of maintaining an active lifestyle and minimizing loneliness. Further in the pipeline, it also had to address sensitivities around inheritance versus investments and the uncertainties of off-site rehabilitation and continuing care.

Generating highly-qualified leads that accelerated the pace of home sales meant launching with an informative phase that introduced Peachtree Hills Place as the ultimate model of carefree home ownership and its many benefits. We underlined this info-heavy push with lifestyle imagery to subconsciously reinforce the sense of belonging that anchors the new brand.

A multi-pronged strategic marketing plan was activated with attention to print as well as digital. To initiate 1:1 engagement, direct mail was used to showcase upcoming events. By styling these pieces as high-touch invitations to lunches and cocktail parties, prospective Members and a guest were given the opportunity to engage directly with the property management while meeting their future neighbors. Magazine advertorials, placed in affluent regional publications, focused on the life stories of existing Peachtree Hills Place Members and highlighted the diversity and sophistication of the community. The benefits and amenities of the property were treated as supporting elements to reinforce the story.

The integrated digital campaign began with an enhanced, data-capture website that enabled a personalized touchpoint approach to the sales process. Additional tactics included pay-per-click, programmatic display, geofencing and retargeting, paid social ads, and email marketing. We created a variety of digital banners and embedded Member video testimonials to create a richer user experience and generate a higher click-through-rate.

The final element was on-property integration. To help meet goals and assist the marketing team, a marketing center was designed to support lease-up efforts. Site plan signage, interactive video screens, and an engaging sales team were all integral to increasing home sales.

The Results

This comprehensive campaign approach paid off in big ways. Goals were far exceeded with Phase 1 homes sold out months ahead of schedule as Phase 2 sales followed suit. The digital media campaign targeted 55+ adults, in five major Atlanta zip codes. Year-over-year, digital advertising generated a 41% increase in leads while the website generated a 232% increase in traffic. Display generated 26,865,599 impressions and 47,812 clicks with a .17% CTR; video generated 2,073,041 impressions with 108,433 clicks and a 5.2% CTR. As of September 2020, 86% of the 204 available homes are sold and occupied.

The success of this campaign has forecasted promising results for The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place, as well. Due to the higher level of care offered, qualifications for residency at The Terraces required a slight shift to the overall target audience. To maximize the campaign’s impact, we targeted retirees aged 55+ in Atlanta, as well as the metro cities of Sandy Springs, Marietta, and Smyrna; we also augmented the audience to include caregivers seeking high-end assisted living.

After delaying their omni-channel campaign launch due to COVID, The Terraces hosted a Virtual Grand Opening on September 28. A 30-day review of two weeks before and two weeks after the event shows 1,328,754 total impressions, 2,654 clicks with a .20% CTR, and 160 Virtual Tours completed.

Want to learn more about our specialized lease-up strategies? Looking for advice on structuring your proforma for comprehensive marketing? Schedule a chat with Vince.