Why Brand Empathy is the Key to Success in Multifamily

“At GWLRA, we're really a values-driven organization. We
really hold dear to those values, and they are creativity,
ambition, integrity, and empathy. I would say that it is
well-known that most employees can speak to that.” – Todd
Nishimura


In today's conversation we have Todd Nishimura, Senior Director
of Marketing, Leasing, and Communications at GWL Realty Advisors
Residential. Tune in to hear how he came to work in marketing at
the Campbell Soup Company and the Four Seasons, and how the
values he learned there contributed to his success at
GWLRA.

We talk about changes sparked by the pandemic and which values
GWLRA is driven by, before talking about why you must make a
decision on what your lease up efforts are supposed to yield and
assessing the success of out-of-home engagements and social media
during the pandemic. Next, we explore the world of amenities and
talk about how they can set you apart if you choose to place them
front and centre of what you offer.

Finally, we touch on the aspirational brand being created at The
Livmore and Todd shares how he learned that providing a premium
experience means being able to ask for a higher price point. Join
us today to hear all this and more!


Key points from this
episode:


An introduction to today’s guest, Todd Nishimura

How Todd came to work in marketing and what he loves most
about it: the power of brands

His time at the Campbell Soup Company before the Four Seasons
Hotels and Resorts

What has made GWLRA successful, especially through the
pandemic: the culture

Creativity, ambition, integrity, and empathy; the values
GWLRA is driven by as a company

The products put on hold during the pandemic and the strategy
changes that led to success

Why you must make a decision on what your lease up efforts
are supposed to yield

How GWLRA’s out-of-home engagements became less successful
during the pandemic

Social media and how well it performed during that time

Their focus on amenities and how they implemented this with
things like sky lounges

How amenities can set you apart if you place them front and
centre

What they had to do to navigate amenities during the
pandemic: managing things according to regulations and pointing
to it not being their decision

Shifts and changes in the residential properties across
Canada: increased vacancy

How they were able to maintain their rates during the
pandemic

The upswing that has occurred in 2021 in comparison with 2020

Key objectives of the project at The Livmore High Park:
creating an aspirational brand

The project they’ve just launched called Chronicle

How Todd learned that providing a premium experience means
asking for a higher price point

What he considers to be his biggest challenges and failures
at Campbell’s and Four Seasons

Chronicle and Livmore; the upcoming developments that they
have going on

Why people choose to rent and how that is changing



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