A troubled past.
Atlantic Station was a big deal in Atlanta, GA when it originally broke ground back in 2005.. Promoted as a shining example of modern urban renewal, Atlantic Station was born out of an old steel mill—refashioned as a new mixed use property, boasting commercial and residential space for ATLiens to live, work and play. Stretching over 100 acres in the heart of Atlanta, GA. It was the first of its kind in the city: an Atlanta neighborhood at the nexus of Atlanta’s 75/85 interstate split, with its own dedicated zip code (and firehouse), offering residential, retail and office space all within a walkable distance.
But 7 years after its debut, the vision for Atlantic Station had not fully materialized. It was a generic shopping center with generic shopping options and an even more generic social environment. Atlantic Station’s appeal had lost its luster — its image had been sullied in the press over the years and it was starting to show on the physical property: signage was old with aggressive language, the music was distracting — blaring show tunes day and night, and the most appealing of its entertainment had been shuttered.
To make matters worse, other mixed-use developments were breaking ground in Atlanta— the Atlantic Station space had not evolved since its inception.
In 2012, North American Properties, then owner of Atlantic Station, came to Ogilvy & Mather Atlanta for help.
The Atlantic Station assignment.
With increasing competition, Atlantic Station needed to redefine itself. We needed to increase the appeal of Atlantic Station in the Atlanta metro area and generate excitement about the brand to drive onsite engagement. Customers should want to be there and we should promote them doing so.
I wanted to establish a territory that the brand could own, creating a home from which the the masterbrand’s sub-brands, community features and activities could be reimagined and realigned.
The company.
I began by researching Atlantic Station, gathering as much information as possible about the brand: its ownership, its history, the owners, the employees, office and residential spaces. What did they offer and why? I interviewed internal stakeholders and held client workshops and focus groups to uncover the brand’s core values. How did Atlantic Station see itself?
The category.
Leveraging industry information, we assessed the category. What were the trends? What opportunities were available to Atlantic Station in the mixed-use development category? Atlantic Station was the first of its kind in Atlanta, GA, but mixed-use developments were not a new concept. What could we learn?
The customers.
We asked customers. I conducted guerrilla on-the-street interviews with customers and surveyed Atlanta city residents using questionnaires. We held focus groups and interviewed office and retail tenants and residents, even sitting in on community meetings to hear residents discuss the property. How did they feel about Atlantic Station?
The channel.
I assessed the channel mix and identified opportunities for amplification. Both digital and traditional channels were being underutilized. This information was leveraged in the development of the MarComm plan. What mediums were most important?
The competition.
We took a look at the competition. What were new market entrants offering? Did it compare with Atlantic Station? How could we differentiate the properties based on their attributes and identify the opportunity for Atlantic Station?
The culture.
One of the more critical aspects of brand positioning is understanding the brand’s capacity to address a specific cultural tension. This is to realize the brand’s best self— its aspirational identity and where it has the most to grow. Understanding where it fits within that paradigm gives the brand its competitive advantage. We could use that to define the Big ideaL™.
The learnings.
Misalignment between the company’s stakeholders’ perception of the brand, its retail customers, and its residential/office tenants were obvious. Decidedly across the board from the view of the customers, Atlantic Station was rendered a boring retail space that you visited to shop, primarily, at Target. Restaurants were unremarkable and attractions were few. Office and residential tenants felt disconnected from the community and often disengaged and while company owners boasted the idea that Atlantic Station was a community, this feeling was not shared by customers and residents alike: some patrons alleged experiencing hostile shopping experiences, accusing security and property owners of discrimination and harassment, and felt discouraged from participating in social events.
At a macro level, U.S. workers were exhausted. Technology was supposed to make our working lives easier, but it hadn’t. Now, instead of waiting until they arrived at the office to begin work, they were now working on their commute, using laptops, tablets and mobile devices to stay always-on. They were yearning to get a little more time back into their days. How could we leverage the proximity of Atlantic Station to give them that?
Brand perception.
Atlantic Station’s primary challenge was that it had not evolved. Being the first and only to revitalize the former Brownfield site of the Atlantic Steel mill was a great history, but what was Atlantic Station’s future?
We needed to restore brand equity and give the space a new vision.
Customer sentiment.
Customers expressed dissatisfaction with Atlantic Station’s offerings and complained about the atmosphere. Residents and office tenants felt disconnected from the space and without a direct connection to management.
We needed to build community.
Engagement.
Customers confirmed visiting Atlantic Station for flagship attractions: the Regal Theater and Target — and leaving. Retailers such as Old Navy, Dillards and GAP lacked excitement.
We needed to give customers a reason to visit—and stay.
Promote.
Atlantic Station had become a standard shopping center for most patrons. Customers needed a reason to believe in Atlantic Station and Atlantic Station needed to generate enough excitement to get their endorsement and promotion.
We needed to give customers a reason to visit, residents a reason to engage and fans a reason to celebrate.
Creating a connection.
Many aspects of the Atlantic Station property made it great, but centered right in its DNA was its greatest competitive advantage: its location. Atlantic Station was supremely positioned at the intersection of interstate 75/85, the lifeblood of Atlanta. Millions of passengers travelled this route daily and for Atlanta residents looking for a life of ease, convenience, and comfort, Atlantic Station’s position made sense. Prospective residential and office tenants could literally add more life back into their days by taking advantage of the design of the property. With an average walkability score of 80, residents could go to work at BB&T, socialize with friends for happy hour at Rose Mexicana, grab food for dinner at the local Publix on their way home, and be back into the comfort of their 4-walls all within 100 sq. ft. We needed to remind tenants why they loved Atlantic Station.
Secondarily, we needed to give retail customers a reason to visit Atlantic Station and stay engaged. Customers that stayed longer shopped more. If we could provide them a satisfying shopping experience while simultaneously reducing any friction along their journey, we could win back our fans.
We proposed a number of retail and office tenant improvements (more unique offerings), service upgrades (a more premium experience), and recommendations to improve customer satisfaction and ease shopper frustration (better signage and improved branding).
We recommended using technology and the immediacy of the space to encourage exploration and connection
We recommended a website redesign and property renewal to leverage the new branding.
We revealed a new position for the brand grounded in the creativity of the space and its storied history, that it could own for years to come.
We delivered a detailed marketing communications plan to help amplify the message.
Build community.
We proposed a number of solutions to build a better community.
We recommended a number of events designed to bring the community together, from movie nights on the green to after-hours yoga sessions in the park. We proposed major celebrations during holiday times and company-sponsored festivals during more niche holiday celebrations (e..g. “St. Patricks Day”, “Cinco de Mayo”).
We emphasized continued residential, office and retail tenant outreach, engaging stakeholders via community meetings and other on-site events intended to foster a sense of belonging.
We recommended modifying community guideline language to be more friendly and less threatening to patrons.
Reasons to love.
Customers needed reasons to love the Atlantic Station brand. Events would bring them to the property, but they wouldn’t make them happy. We proposed a slew of service upgrades, including dedicated valet service for customers looking for a more exclusive (and convenient) dining and movie-going experience.
We recommended that Atlantic Station assist its retail tenants in increasing their sales by amplifying daily deals and giving customers the push to spend.
Variety is good.
We proposed a new eclectic mix of retail and restaurant offerings, suggesting that by providing a more unique mix, Atlantic Station could draw in customers looking for offerings not easily found elsewhere in the city. Bring in more farm-to-table restaurants and real eats by famed chefs and restauranteurs.
We needed to peak customers’ interests long enough to keep them engaged—and shopping.
Simplify.
Navigating Atlantic Station was a unique concern to both tenants and casual patrons. The parking structure was complex and confusing for a customer just looking to get to their car after a long day of shopping and events.
We proposed a more simplified wayfinding experience, using color, language, iconography and imagery to help customers navigate.
“Located in the heart of the progressive “new south,” Atlantic Station is the only place for people and companies looking for the perfect environment to foster new ideas. The dynamic mix of innovative office tenants coupled with its range of restaurant, retail and event offerings reflect Atlantic Station’s commitment to variety and belief in the promise of tomorrow. As the most walkable community in Atlanta, Atlantic Station’s mix of condominiums, apartments and town homes places you just footsteps away from your next big idea.”
The result.
“A $2.5 million investment was made to improve parking and security. More than 200 events now are held annually to attract guests and potential retailers. Those events include the BB&T Atlanta Open and, most recently, Containment, Atlanta’s largest haunted attraction. An aggressive re-tenanting strategy has led to more than 30 new retail leases including chef-driven restaurants, locally owned boutiques and first-to-market retailers. The cumulative effect of the turnaround strategy has been a more-than-15 percent increase in sales property-wide. CBRE also has signed more than 20 new leases securing some of Atlanta’s most innovative office tenants, including Square, Pandora, Ogilvy & Mather and TapJoy.”
“We wanted a new look to mark the successes we have enjoyed in the past two and a half years and to reflect the Midtown community that has helped us achieve so much,” said Mark Toro, managing partner at North American Properties (NAP). October 26, 2013, Press Release.
As of 2015, Atlantic Station is under new leadership, however the rebrand still lives. See it online here.
For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:
Elizabeth Hagin
The Wilbert Group
404-748-1367 (O) 678-642-4301 (C)
ehagin@thewilbertgroup.com, twitter.com/atlanticstation or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AtlanticStation.