Redefining standards

TRUST HOUSING ASSOCIATION | REBRAND

Trust Housing Association is a social landlord with big ambition and a big heart. Now 50 years old, its 700 colleagues look after 4000 homes across the length and breath of Scotland. Over the years, the Trust family has grown in capability and scale, welcoming colleagues and customers from regional associations into its fold. But with growth comes complexity. 

A changing customer demographic, an increasingly digitised customer service and new housing stock strategies are transforming its product, service and relationships. Yet the principles at its core remain true.

Trust needed a brand that deepens its relationship with customers, reiterates its commitment to them and provides reassurance. Strategically, it needed a brand to facilitate new conversations and open up opportunities for partnership and acquisition, talent attraction and broaden customer appeal.

We already knew Trust well (having worked on its digital transformation, strategic and cultural communications). So we went about getting to know its customer community better through qualitative interviews and focus groups. We captured the deeply personal value and benefit Trust tenants experience and let that be the inspiration for the brand’s strategy, narrative and messaging, with the idea of feeling ‘safe and sound’.

A warm, trusted and inclusive tone of voice matches the character of communication with the nature of its relationships. 

Proposition:
Feel secure, live well. Affordable homes with exceptional services and care.

Trust | Affordable homes. Exceptional care.

Brand Themes:

New standards in service and care.
You’ll find us straightforward to contact and quick to respond. Ready and able to keep things just right. Our specialist teams work closely with you so you can access our services with ease.

A responsible landlord.
Rising living costs, social inequality and climate change are a concern for us all. We keep to fair and ethical standards, with a focus on improving quality of life. With sustainability front and centre we’re creating smarter, energy efficient homes and green communities. For everyone’s benefit.

Outstanding personal contact.
Getting to know you and your needs is what we do best. At home, online, on the phone or dropping by to get things sorted. We’ll be familiar faces. Looking after you and your home with experience, care and respect.

A sector leading innovator.
Let’s redefine standards of service and go above and beyond expectations with visionary leadership, a progressive culture, technology enabled systems and an open attitude. Extending a warm welcome to partnership and making a positive impact on our society and environment.

A new visual identity feels welcoming, friendly and captures a feeling of support and partnership (two characters - ‘r’ and ‘u’ - visually connecting). A dynamic brand style and graphic pattern represents agility and connection.

Customers feature prominently in the new visual style. A photoshoot with characters from the Trust community was filled with laughter - a day with a difference for most who took part. A group of Trust colleagues were game for being in front of the camera too. The real people profiled contributed greatly to the authenticity and colourful personality of the new brand and for that we thank them.

Trust’s existing website was no longer fit for purpose. Its commitment to make digital engagement easier for customers and the public demanded the development of a new website. We worked closely with a trusted digital development partner to bring the brand to life online. 

Trust’s head offices were refitted to better facilitate hybrid working. We worked closely with their facilities team to bring the new brand into the office environment.

The rebrand journey coincided with changes in social housing regulation and the cost of living crisis. The sensitivities of brand launch in this context were very acutely felt. The importance of demonstrating value for money and legitimate and enduring benefit became vital. We supported Trust to strike the right tone as they prepared to announce and roll out the new brand. The brand launched on the association’s 50th Anniversary. A positive story and the beginning of a new era.

Over the course of six years our support to Trust included:

  • Digital transformation campaign and colleague communications

  • Business strategy naming, identity and messaging

  • Qualitative and quantitative research (tenants, colleagues and stakeholders)

  • Brand strategy and narrative

  • Organisational strategy messaging

  • Cultural narrative and values

  • Brand identity and framework design

  • Brand messaging and positioning content

  • Commissioned photography (tenants and colleagues)

  • MS Office templates and stationery

  • Website user interface design

  • Signage and interiors

  • 50th Anniversary identity

  • Recruitment promotion styling and templates

  • Property void advertising styling and templates

Fiona Burnett