Technological innovation powers Habito rebrand

The UK property sector is innovating. As alternatives to traditional home ownership models rise and the market becomes more difficult to penetrate, a shift to digital services has led to the rise of ‘proptech’ – or property technology. Driven by apps and mobile-friendly digital platforms, property brands are harnessing the power of proptech to reach a wider audience, and make the house buying process less arduous.

Founded in 2015 by Daniel Hegarty, this is what tech-driven mortgage broker Habito aims to achieve. Streamlining the mortgage application process for anyone from first-time buyers to those realigning their finances, Habito describes itself as a ‘digital mortgage broker.’ And, existing to disrupt a sector traditionally characterised by vast amounts of paperwork and ongoing consultation periods, its latest rebrand reflects it universal appeal.

Created by London-based branding agency MultiAdaptor, the new brand for Habito encompasses the traits that make proptech unique. It relies on a fresh, clean aesthetic which allows Habito to cut through the noise currently generated among the proptech sector, allowing the proptech brand to create a sense of trust between the brand and consumers. This is imperative for Habito, and the wider proptech sector, given the unpredictable nature of the UK property market.

And, for MultiAdaptor, a sense of lightness and enjoyable brand experience characterises the Habito rebrand. Its ‘anti-gravity’ approach disassociates the concept of mortgages with a feeling of dread, a trope consistent through the entire Habito rebrand toolkit. Its digital rebrand is also reinforced via a more traditional published brand campaign, reaching a multitude of customers while reflecting a key Habito trait – human and science.

“Expressing Habito’s purpose, the brand idea is born from the ‘little lift’ that Habito provides, by making the usually heavy, painful and arduous process of getting a mortgage, altogether simpler and easier,” explains Andy West, co-founder and strategy director at Habito. “The bold logo puts this emotional benefit at the heart of the brand, with the elevated ‘O’ lifting away from the other characters, while also helping with the pronunciation of the unique name.”

With its tech model allowing users 24/7 access via its digital and online platforms, the proptech concept behind Habito is a step towards democratising the mortgage process for the contemporary age. And, given that the £18.5 million Habito has recently raised in Series B funding is to go towards development of its artificial intelligence technology, securing a rebrand that emphasises its tech prowess while acknowledging its human face is imperative.

“The brand’s personality conveys the two sides of the business,” says West. “The cutting-edge machine-learning that powers the platform and the real people on the frontline, putting customer interests’ first.”

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