The Power of ONE

By Jim Moran, Founding Partner, CEO

We often hear developers talk about “icons,” “greatness,” and “one of a kind” – all hallmarks of the Pantheon skyline. But do these buildings ever live up to those boasts? Obviously yes if I’m asking a developer but for mere mortals like us, they are typically just another building…tall, great amenities, blah blah blah. But when we started the brand development process for SL Green’s One Vanderbilt, we realized that there was something here beyond the typical bravado. Yes it stunning architecture and class leading office space. Yes, SL Green, the largest private landlord in NYC and an impressive real estate team, knew how to design and program an outstanding commercial development.

But how could we elevate the brand beyond our competition’s offering to become the ONE AND ONLY of today’s great buildings? How could we unashamedly proclaim the importance of this building in the history and future of NYC? Well, the team at CO OP told SL Green a simple story – a mission – that guided their vision:

Now a few rational real estate people challenged this emotional brand babble…”those are nice words but what’s going to lease this building are facts and figures to showcase how great it is!” But when we compared our facts and figures to our competition’s facts and figure, we all kind of lined up evenly with one small disadvantage – our average price per square foot was a more. Now everyone started to realize the WHY of SL Green’s vision for One Vanderbilt and the power of this brand opportunity. To be among greatness (The Chrysler Building, The Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center) and be the next One.

One City. One Building. One Vanderbilt.

We created The Power of One campaign to respect those great building’s of the past while earning the right for One Vanderbilt itself to achieve greatness.

I walk past One Vanderbilt every day and see it rising into the skyline. And I’m very proud to be apart of an amazing team of people at multiple companies that are realizing this vision, this history, this One.

by Paul Newman

October 9, 2018

in branding