Our Work
100% Lease-Up and $420K ARR at Innovation Square.
Services Provided.
Strategy
Graphic Design
Marketing Automation
Social Media
Photography
Video Production
Digital Advertising
The Challenge.
Innovation Square set out to transform the former Xerox Tower into a vibrant, mixed-use 30-story community in Downtown Rochester—combining modern student apartments with collaborative educational spaces and commercial offices. As a new brand in a competitive student housing market, the challenge was establishing community presence, communicating the building’s unmatched amenities, and, most importantly, converting interest into signed leases. Innovation Square needed to effectively reach students in Rochester and attract students searching nationally for housing options near local universities.
The Solution.
We grounded our approach in the voices of Innovation Square’s students whose experiences helped authentically represent the lifestyle and community. Brandmint developed a full-funnel marketing ecosystem designed to drive awareness, engagement, and conversions. Through email automation, paid search, paid social, organic social media, and student-driven content, our strategy highlighted Innovation Square’s lifestyle, amenities, and community experience. We focused on building trust, showcasing real student stories, and nurturing leads from introduction to application.
Marketing Automation.
We segmented website leads based on their preferences and interests and entered them into a two-week nurture flow with personalized emails designed to build excitement and move prospects deeper into the leasing funnel.
We also set up automations that texted and emailed the full application to student prospects immediately after they submitted an interest form, replacing a previously manual process, including follow-up reminders. This automation not only streamlined communication but also significantly reduced the client’s hands-on workload, freeing up valuable time and resources.
Social Media.
We developed a steady stream of organic content featuring resident spotlights, influencer-style student posts, lifestyle imagery, and community and amenity updates.
Rooted in previous research and inspired by student housing communities across the country, the content was crafted to match a tone that is honest, inclusive, progressive, and friendly. By sharing stories from students and community members involved in the project, we strengthened Innovation Square’s community identity, increased authenticity, and provided meaningful social proof for prospects evaluating their housing options.
Digital Advertising.
We developed two segmented search campaigns to capture high-intent prospects and drive them directly into lead capture and tours. The local campaign targeted students searching for Rochester-area housing, while the national campaign reached out-of-state students exploring housing options in Rochester, expanding Innovation Square’s visibility across wider markets.
We targeted both cold and warm audiences through social media advertising, reaching new prospects by focusing on students near RIT and lookalike audiences based on interests and majors, while retargeting individuals who visited the website or engaged with social content. This multi-step nurturing strategy guided prospects through awareness, consideration, and ultimately conversion.
Impact.
- 100% occupancy in three months
- $420,000 revenue growth
- 62.5% average open rate across email nurture campaigns
- 531 qualified leads generated
- 17,000 impressions
- 710 engagements across Facebook and Instagram
- Established Innovation Square as a recognized student housing option in Downtown Rochester
- Successfully built early community adoption through resident-led content and showcasing amenities
- Supported full lease-up momentum by aligning awareness campaigns with peak leasing cycles
ARR
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