If We Build It, You Will Come
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” – Winston Churchill
We rebranded and led a full marketing rollout for UCE Fine Builders, establishing it as a premium residential construction company while preserving its established reputation in commercial construction.
We Always Lead with Results
2 Industry Award Wins: HOBI Award Winner for “Best Builder Website” and “Best Custom Home 9,000-10,000 SF for Taconic Lodge in Northwest CT.”
57% increase in organic website impressions and 37.5% improvement in organic search engine rankings in one year
52.15% email open rate and 39.56% click-through rate (compared to construction industry standards of 31.07% and 2.94%)
Shortlisted among high-end architects as a result of focused outreach, leading to substantial new work for the firm
2 Industry Award Wins: HOBI Award Winner for “Best Builder Website” and “Best Custom Home 9,000-10,000 SF for Taconic Lodge in Northwest CT.”
2 Industry Award Wins: HOBI Award Winner for “Best Builder Website” and “Best Custom Home 9,000-10,000 SF for Taconic Lodge in Northwest CT.”
Ready to take your business to the next level?
Now Find Out How We Did It.
Client Profile
UCE Fine Builders, formerly United Construction & Engineering, boasts a rich legacy dating back to 1957, initially as United Steel Erectors, and later as United Construction and Engineering. With a deep focus on high-end residential and commercial projects, UCE stands out for its exceptional craftsmanship, sophisticated technology, and dedication to sustainable building practices. Their portfolio spanning Connecticut, the Hudson Valley, and the Berkshire Mountains reflects their commitment to creating extraordinary spaces that exceed industry standards.
The Challenge
As UCE Fine Builders shifted some focus to high-end residential construction, they encountered several challenges. An outdated website and weak branding and collateral materials did not align with the high-end service and value proposition they aimed to offer to clients. Their origin as a metal building company, coupled with prior rebranding and firm consolidations, further obscured any recognition as a high-end residential builder. Additionally, competitors with a longstanding presence in Northwest Connecticut and the Hudson Valley enjoyed high visibility. Some seemed to offer very competitive pricing by omitting complete supervision services. To cater to discerning clientele such as sophisticated New Yorkers and facilities teams at distinguished private boarding schools, UCE Fine Builders needed a professional marketing strategy with precise targeting and tailored, high-end communications.
The Solution
Working closely with the client, we set out to establish the new brand as a premium residential construction company while preserving its established reputation in commercial construction. Through comprehensive dialogue, and meticulous analysis of UCE’s industry landscape, target audience, and competitive challenges, we crafted a tailored marketing strategy. This focused on rebranding, digital optimization, and targeted campaigns to elevate UCE’s visibility, engaging architects and affluent clientele and fostering growth in residential and commercial sectors. Our holistic solution tackled UCE’s immediate challenges and positioned them for lasting success in the competitive construction market.
Market Research, Strategy, and Messaging
Extensive research delved into high-end residential and commercial construction markets, identifying growth opportunities. Client interviews, market research, digital audits, and strategic analysis provided insights into industry trends, competitors, and audience preferences. This informed a tailored marketing strategy designed to resonate with UCE’s affluent clientele and architects and effectively convey the brand’s value proposition. This customized approach laid the foundation for UCE’s successful brand transformation.
Brand Identity – Name, Logo, Tagline
The brand identity overhaul for UCE Fine Builders sought to modernize its visual identity while honoring its rich heritage. Leveraging research insights, we crafted a new name, logo, and tagline that capture the essence of UCE’s expertise and commitment to excellence. The new name, “UCE Fine Builders,” incorporates their former identity, “United Construction and Engineering,” into the acronym “UCE”, succinctly defining their craft. The “Uniquely Crafted Environments” tagline, which also incorporates the UCE acronym, further emphasizes their commitment to exceptional, bespoke creations. Inspired by the original nested letter logo, the redesigned logo signifies precision, history, and craftsmanship, with subtle nods to construction and carpentry. Enhanced by a timeless color palette and typography, UCE’s new visual identity exudes professionalism and sophistication, ensuring a cohesive brand presence across all platforms.
Website Design and Development
We built a state-of-the-art website from the ground up to showcase UCE’s capabilities and elevate its online presence. The website features a gorgeous portfolio, emphasizing the firm’s expertise through solid imagery and client testimonials, affirming UCE’s superior customer service. Notably, the UCE Fine Builders’ website won a HOBI Award for Best Builder Website by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association. Post-launch, we managed the website, performed an SEO audit and site crawl, and optimized UCE’s Google Business Profile to continue enhancing the site’s visibility and ensuring its long-term success.
Organic Social Media Management
In today’s digital age, social media is a pivotal platform for professionals in the construction and architecture sectors to showcase their expertise and connect with audiences. We devised a strategic, organic social media strategy tailored to UCE Fine Builders’ objectives. By curating compelling content and leveraging modern graphic design, beautiful portfolio imagery, and video elements, we effectively communicated UCE’s brand transition while fostering audience engagement and loyalty. This approach bolstered UCE’s visibility, positioned them as a reputable player in the marketplace, and served as a foundation for continued success.
Media Planning and Print Advertising
Our comprehensive advertising strategy encompassed detailed media planning and campaign ideation designed to amplify brand awareness and grow reach. Leveraging our expertise in working with traditional and digital media, we identified strategic advertising channels and platforms to effectively target UCE’s affluent clientele. Incorporating stunning portfolio photography, we designed a print campaign that showcased UCE’s unique value proposition and highlighted their exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail. Our campaign aimed to position UCE Fine Builders as a premier choice for high-end residential and commercial construction projects. Strategic media placements elevated their status, positioning them as a preferred choice among other high-end providers.
Account-Based Marketing: Promotional Items, Collateral, and Email Marketing
In conjunction with digital and traditional marketing strategies, targeted outreach initiatives were employed to engage with current and potential industry partners. With a goal of impressing elite architects, we devised a unique gift: custom wood-burned boxes adorned with UCE’s new logo, housing living succulent arrangements. These bespoke and durable gifts were hand-delivered to architecture firms, accompanied by newly designed brochures. Targeted follow-up postcard mailings and email marketing campaigns amplified UCE’s brand message and value proposition, keeping them top of mind. As a result, several new firms expressed interest and shortlisted UCE for upcoming projects, demonstrating the success of the account-based marketing approach.
Stationery and Signage
As part of the comprehensive rebranding effort for UCE Fine Builders, we extended the new brand identity to all physical touchpoints, ensuring a cohesive and impactful brand experience. This included updating all office signage, vehicle branding on trucks, and stationery, including business cards. By aligning these elements with the refreshed visual identity, we reinforced UCE’s professional commitment to excellence and attention to detail in every aspect of their business operations.
Client Testimonial
Our partnership with Brandmark Studios has been successful in so many ways. They have been a trusted marketing advisor, providing us with strategic guidance, creative talent, and a comprehensive roadmap for rebranding and subsequent growth. They are professional, dependable, and responsive, and seek to understand the complexity of influences on our business. We know we can count on the Brandmark team to continually deliver, both on ad-hoc requests and longer-term projects. The UCE Fine Builders brand we developed with them has served us well, perfectly reflecting who we are. We know it has given us the critical foundation we need for the future.
Jack Baer, Owner/President
UCE Fine Builders
