Meadowood Unveils New Rebrand
May 31, 2023
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Meadowood team has announced a rebrand of its 135-acre, non-profit Life Plan community in Worcester Township, PA, for which it partnered with Xhilarate, a Philadelphia-based full-service branding and design agency.
“We wanted to partner with an agency that would tell our story authentically, based on our founder’s vision, while also setting us apart from other life plan communities,” said John Kotsatos, Meadowood’s VP, Sales & Marketing. “Xhilarate’s curiosity, honesty, and transparency in understanding the journey people have when exploring a life plan community like Meadowood was the deciding factor.”
The Xhilarate team worked collaboratively with Meadowood’s executive team, board of directors, and resident committee. “The target audience is getting younger and more active, looking at these communities as lifestyle destinations rather than retirement communities,” offered Russ Napolitano, Partner at Xhilarate. “We also needed the brand to resonate with their families and potential employees.”
As part of the rebrand, Meadowood dropped the words “Senior Living” from its name and introduced a new logo, website, and signage. The facility’s campus, which features gardens and wooded areas, offers a full range of lifestyle choices, services, and amenities for people 62 and over.
The original logo, in place since the community’s inception in 1988, was retired in favor of a fresh new one that reflects the community’s setting and pays homage to the founder’s three-legged stool philosophy — residents, board, and staff coming together. Three sections of the logo form a circular graphic featuring shades of bright blue skies and lush greenery with a pathway cutting through the center. A clean, modern typeface for Meadowood completes the refresh.
The Xhilarate design team recommended bold and vibrant colors along with extensive imagery to better communicate the property’s attributes through a new website. While the previous website was heavy with information, the new site emphasizes the grounds, range of activities, residential living options, its personalized 360-degree Meadowell wellness program and the various amenities conducive to an active lifestyle. Xhilarate partner and professional photographer, Zave Smith, was the inspiration for how to effectively use video and real (rather than stock) photography to convey an authentic sense of place.
“We didn’t want to look like anyone else in this category,” Xhilarate’s Napolitano added. “So, for inspiration, we looked to luxury resorts and spas rather than similar communities.”
The fresh look and feel were extended to internal and external signage, direct mail, marketing materials, and all other brand touchpoints.
“We’re seeing a much higher volume of qualified leads from the website, and our marketing events are generating double the amount of first-time visitors,” Meadowood’s Kotsatos said. “What started as, ‘Are you open to a logo change?’ evolved into a true partnership that continues to grow and evolve. Xhilarate’s professional guidance coupled with a keen eye for design and artistry made the process enjoyable and provided a level of comfort and support for all stakeholders on our team.”