Luxury real estate firm embraces change

In an effort to prepare the company for the future, Brown Harris Stevens, a luxury residential real estate brokerage firm, has unveiled a new brand identity in collaboration with design consultancy Pentagram.

Founded in 1873, Brown Harris Stevens sells high-end properties in New York City, the Hamptons and south Florida. With 150 years of experience, the firm has built on its reputation over the years. However, when competing in a tech-driven age, the firm can no longer be defined only by its heritage. By rebranding to a clean and modern design and stripping the brand of its 'established in 1873' tagline, Brown Harris Stevens moves towards change and adopts an identity fit to compete for the next 150 years.

When researching the brand's defining qualities, Pentagram noticed that customers associate the firm with the high-quality work of its agents. By playing with word associations, Pentagram soon discovered that being bold, honest and smart were not only three of the most commonly used adjective to describe the firm's employees but also happened to align with the company's three initials ‘BHS.'

After adopting its new tagline, 'Bold Honest Smart,’ Brown Harris Stevens stacked its name, its tagline and a BHS symbol in three separate towers. The brand now sports a fresh colour palette of deep orange, white and grey.

In addition to rebranding the identity, the design consultancy also redesigned the firm's website. By employing a new identity of simplicity, the website is now easier to navigate and takes full advantage of photography, one of the key features of the brand's new identity.

By applying the identity to everything from display advertising, brochures, and other promotional materials, to digital marketing and social media, to signage for properties and environmental graphics, Brown Harris Stevens has transformed itself from a veteran of its industry to a contemporary firm fit for the future.