Silvabrand | Alter
Silva Brand

Alter

We helped transform a family-owned company into one of America's preeminent real estate developers.

The Challenge

After 55 years and a generational transition in leadership, The Alter Group needed an entire rethinking of its brand to fit with a new strategy—shifting away from being a national landlord to becoming an investment powerhouse; exiting big-box distribution campuses, and growing its Class A office development; and pursuing new economy clients.

Insight

Alter’s newest strategy reflected a fundamental idea about the modern real estate development—that workplaces are life places. The walls separating the different phases of a worker’s day have broken down in favor of a fluid, human-centered experience.

The Answer

The Alter Group engaged Silva Brand to conduct brand discovery with leadership. After a thorough market review, competitive analysis, and SWOT, we created a powerful strategy that began with changing the company name to Alter. Leveraging the new name, we created a sharp new logo, brand voice, communications package, and a stunning multimedia website. The rebrand spring-boarded the company to its next phase of building high-tech HQ offices and launching the largest development in its history—a $750 million innovation campus northwest of Chicago.

We transformed the Alter brand from a strong regional brand into a national powerhouse through national PR and awards, culminating in the NAIOP Developer of the Year cover story, which we not only arranged but art directed.

The Alter magazine cover in a lightbox display.

We refreshed a 55 year old logo mark to reference the “Alt” of a computer keyboard as a symbol of the company’s boldness and innovative investment approach.

The Alter logo embossed in silver on black paper.
Across a decade, we have deployed video by our award-winning team to tell the story of Alter's remarkable history and approach.

“We rely on Silva Brand to brand our largest developments. In 2020, they are playing an important role in the leasing of Cornerstone, a $750 million project that will be one of the biggest mixed-use campuses in the country.”


RICHARD GATTO, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
A portrait of Richard Gatto, Executive Vice President of Alter.
Created 7 years ago, Alter’s site remains a cutting-edge and immersive experience.

Vertically integrated companies were unusual in the real estate space. Mapping the Alter brand required great care to organize the brand portfolio in a way that offered clarity, but also showed specialization in terms of expertise and product.

House of brands diagram of Alter and it's sub-brands.

As the agency of record for Alter, we have designed different strategies for developments across the nation, from downtown high-rises to suburban office campuses to medical offices.

Images of Alter's various locations and brochures.