Oaklands Green is one of the state’s largest urban renewal housing projects. Sitting within Oaklands Park, the new development will be part of one of the most ill-reputed suburbs in the state. However, while this area is known for high crime rates and tired, housing trust homes, it will soon be known as a community of brand-new residences and open spaces. The key to attracting buyers to the new development, and inspiring the housing trust tenants, is ‘transformation’. This led to the name we created – one that locates the development, while indicating the change to natural spaces and creating a positive outlook. We also took the theme of transformation into the branding – our butterfly, created from green leaves on a bud.

The messaging around transformation is the emotional pull – the rational attraction is the chance for people, who may have thought otherwise, to buy their own home. When Crew was first handed the project, rumours were rife among existing tenants that they were going to be relocated without consultation or input towards the new development. While this wasn’t the case, Housing Renewal SA required a lightning-fast turnaround on a new website to quickly manage the public’s perceptions.

Crew wrote, designed, prototyped, built and went live with the new Oaklands Green website in 7 days. At the same time, we implemented a full strategic marketing plan, created the rebrand and positioning and supported Junction with ongoing community consultations (fact sheets, support groups, web enquiries). We are now 2 years into the project – Stage 1A almost sold, we’re now focusing on Stage 1B. With a target of ~200 registrations of interest by this point, we are currently four times that number.