Staying strong

Vicky Mitchener started her real estate company, Dickens Mitchener, 30 years ago, but she wasn’t looking backwards. 

She was looking ahead — and looking around.  

Her company was strong. Vicky had built an organization that did things the right way, the Dickens Mitchener way, and attracted agents who loved being among the best in the business. 

But the Charlotte, NC, real estate market was changing. Getting more competitive. And clients were becoming more sophisticated and sensitive to brand image. Things were moving. 

So when we first talked with Vicky and Celeste Horton, Dickens Mitchener’s Vice President of Marketing, the focus was on securing the brand’s place in this evolving landscape. 

When our team got to Charlotte to do discovery — our process of understanding a client’s business and brand — two things were immediately clear. 

First, this is an organization that loves the business of real estate. That sounds like a trite observation, but it’s actually a finely distinguished quality that’s sometimes missing from even quantitatively successful brokerages. It’s a respect for the work that you can feel. Call it a vibe. But it’s valuable. 

Second, Dickens Mitchener is a company that possesses a particular sort of grace. The people, including Vicky, are warm yet sharp; they carry themselves like the important professionals they are; and they are 100% Charlotte. 

It was a pleasure to help them channel those truths into a story and visual identity system to share with the world. To reflect outward what could be seen and felt inside in a way that positions the company for another 30 years of success. 

Here’s a quick glimpse: