Belair-edison
Building a Brand Through Community Storytelling
THE GOAL
Belair-Edison had the bones of a truly great neighborhood.
What it lacked was a brand to back it up. We built one from the ground up and put the power of the story back in the hands of the people who lived there.
From a sold-out real estate program to a MAJOR funding grant, the new Belair-Edison brand delivered results that went far beyond perception. It changed the trajectory of the neighborhood.
THE challenge
Belair-Edison is a large Baltimore City neighborhood of approximately 6,600 households, mostly single-family brick row homes with tree-lined streets, abundant parks and easy access to downtown.
Affordable and anchored by an active main street corridor, the community had strong assets with a loyal base of residents who knew it. But outsiders were controlling the narrative, and the community needed a strategy that gave them the tools to tell it themselves.
The solutions
Partnering with Belair-Edison Neighborhoods, Inc. (BENI), we built a brand for the neighborhood itself and gave the community a platform to tell their story.
Developed the neighborhood brand identity and tagline: Live in the city, play in our parks.
Built BelairEdison.city, a custom website showcasing photo-documented feature stories designed to attract residents, prospective homebuyers and business owners.
Created the Belair-Edison Main Street identity to support commercial district initiatives.
Launched the Premier Real Estate Agent program, an exclusive membership that sold out on initial offering.
Produced a brand launch event with community members, dignitaries and local media.
Managed ongoing content including monthly spotlight stories, e-newsletters, social media and community events.
the impact
Results that moved beyond perception and built real momentum for the community and the organization behind it.
BENI secured a major funding grant with our marketing plan as a centerpiece of the proposal.
Media coverage of the neighborhood shifted positively.
Email newsletters became a go-to resource for residents, real estate professionals and business owners.
Renovation investment and home values increased.
Website traffic and social media engagement grew considerably.
