Client: 225 Carlton at True North Square
Year: 2018
Strategy Development, Art Direction for Photography, Video production, Consultancy in Brand Positioning, Dissemination of Content, and Narrative Advertising
225 Carlton – An Abstract Narrative Made Concrete
At the heart of downtown Winnipeg is one of the city’s latest additions to the skyline – 225 Carlton. As part of the award-winning mixed-use development True North Square, 225 exists with the goal to redefine the residential rental experience in Winnipeg. Surrounded by restaurants, including those at Hargrave St. Market, (True North Square’s innovative new food hall), boutique shops, sports and entertainment, inspiring cultural activities, and direct access to the city’s most iconic historic Exchange District, 225 Carlton presents a world-class rental opportunity to the Winnipeg market. Winter of 2018, 26 Projects was approached to execute the creative direction for photography, to build the brand’s photography assets, as well as develop a strategy for introducing 225 Carlton’s social presence to the public, prior to the building being completed.
Looking Outward – Building a Contextual Narrative
Prior to the leasing phase, our purpose was to evoke the narrative of what life could be like at 225 Carlton at street level, particularly centred around the existing vibrancy of downtown Winnipeg and focusing on the synergies between living, working, socializing and gathering. Moving from a luxurious home-setting in the sky to ground level, the intention was to communicate with content that would encourage a shift in perspective of what downtown living could be. This was accomplished through the creation of compelling, lifestyle-driven Social content for Facebook and Instagram, and through facilitating an active digital space to explore the downtown realm featuring people who inhabit and contribute to its energy. Our strategy from the beginning was to create a digital product that could grow with time and expand as a reference for those beyond the 225 Carlton community.
“Some spaces are pathways, others are meeting points. The best spaces are a mix of both. Connecting community through great design.”
Looking Inward – Shifting the Medium
Our continued content development for 225 into the leasing phase of the project involved a direct marketing approach, without compromising on visual and narrative richness. 26 Projects oversaw the art direction and creation of a series of short videos and still imagery that would work across social media and other digital marketing environments, developed alongside the production company May Contain Studios, based in Winnipeg. Turning inwards to the building’s exceptional amenities and suites, life inside 225 was captured to communicate the beauty of human experience, and a sense of urbanity in an approachable, natural light.
“Looking in and looking out. New modern spaces to inhabit, both public and private”
