More than ‘just a logo’

A logo is the tip of a strategic iceberg. It’s a solution to a problem or the salient in a push toward a new opportunity.

It should reflect sound design principles, of course. It may either meet or redirect the expectations of those who encounter it, depending on the job it has to do. And it should, ideally, be the capstone of a brand identity system built around it.

At 1000WATT, we bring these considerations (and many others) to the table, but add more: an acute sensitivity to the real estate context. This means challenging clients to break common industry patterns. It not infrequently means calling BS (politely) on brand stories that make the client feel good, but leave the rest of the world puzzled or indifferent.

So… when our friends at Luxury Portfolio International, the luxury arm of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, came to us with a big, complex rebrand, we rose to the challenge.

LPI has grown significantly over the past several years. It now counts over 200 members in dozens of countries. What began as a program was now prepared to become a brand. Working with Stephanie Anton, LPI’s President, and her talented team, we dug in.

The ask was to create a brand mark that would convey a sense of maturity, modernity and sophistication and resonate with brokers, agents and affluent buyers and sellers from Brussels to Buenos Aires.

We also had to contend, as we did with our 2016 rebrand of Leading RE, with a long name. Three big words. Plus, in many applications, the words “real estate” added in for clarity.

Add to that varied reaction to the term “luxury” across the world, a host of global trademark requirements and a diverse member base and you begin to see the complexity we faced.

Our resolution was a monogram that could either be paired with the full name, or stand, in some contexts, on its own. We eschewed overwrought luxury flourish for a contemporary, clean look.

The new tagline – Well Connected – was born from a process of focusing on the essence of LPI’s value, both as a global network, and a community of individual agents and brokers.

Here’s a sample:

This project required a lot of thinking before our design team ever put pencil to paper. We’re grateful to the LPI team for giving us the chance to take this journey with them.