The Manor at Keswick
Ultimate Lakefront Living
The Client
The Manor at Keswick is a unique 43-acre lakefront property in Charlottesville, Virginia, offering unparalleled privacy, natural beauty, and proximity to prestigious amenities like the Keswick Club and Keswick Hall Resort.
Nestled amidst awe-inspiring mountain views, this “unicorn” property boasts Charlottesville’s only private lakefront – complete with its own beach and pier. Despite its prime location and features, the property has remained off the market for over fifty years, presenting a rare opportunity for potential buyers.
The owner of the property sought to attract the most exclusive, high-end buyers – whether they were in Charlottesville or California – who were looking to design and build a unique estate or family compound in one of Virginia’s most prestigious zip codes.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to create a compelling and cohesive brand identity that would resonate deeply with an upscale market segment within a tight timeframe.
The prolonged absence from the market meant the Manor at Keswick lacked awareness – not to mention a contemporary and cohesive brand identity and a modern online presence that would resonate with an upscale audience. With winter fast approaching, this project required a rapid turnaround to capitalize on the peak real estate season.
The Solution
For the Manor at Keswick, Pugh & Tiller’s solution encompassed a holistic approach to branding and marketing, meticulously tailored to reflect the property’s unique allure.
Recognizing the need for a cohesive verbal and visual brand identity, Pugh & Tiller crafted an official name and a narrative that conveyed sophistication and exclusivity, complemented by a visual style that harmonized with the natural beauty of the Charlottesville landscape. To effectively showcase the property, Pugh & Tiller developed a suite of promotional materials including high-quality imagery and engaging video content, captured through professional photography and aerial drone footage that highlighted the property’s stunning features and scenic surroundings.
The cornerstone of Pugh & Tiller’s strategy was a custom website that served as a digital gateway for prospective buyers, integrating immersive visual content and streamlined navigation to ensure an informative user experience. This comprehensive package not only elevated the Manor at Keswick’s market presence but also created a compelling invitation to potential buyers.
Visual Branding
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The visual brand for the Manor at Keswick was designed with an upscale audience in mind. The aesthetic balance between elegance and natural beauty is reflective of its serene surroundings. The brand’s color palette draws inspiration from the vivid greens and yellows of summer, the deep blues of the lake and mountains, and the earthy browns of autumn foliage, encapsulating the essence of Virginia’s picturesque countryside through all four seasons.
The logo incorporates stylized elements of trees, mountains, water, and stars, symbolizing the property’s lush landscape and the potential it holds for building a multi-generational family estate. The design blends the sophistication of a five-star hotel with the heritage of a family crest, creating a distinctive mark.
Responsive Website, Promotional Photography & Video Production
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The Manor at Keswick demanded a sophisticated and streamlined website to captivate prospective buyers by showcasing the natural beauty and unique characteristics of the property, while emphasizing the exclusivity of the offering. Pugh & Tiller crafted an elegant two-page solution: a comprehensive single page featuring multiple sections for easy navigation and a dedicated gallery page, both integrated with contact forms to effortlessly connect buyers with the broker.
The website’s content was organized into concise, easily digestible sections to enhance readability and engagement. Pugh & Tiller employed both small and large format imagery to vividly display the land’s features. Acting as art directors, Pugh & Tiller collaborated with local photographers and videographers to produce stunning visual content, utilizing aerial drone footage to capture the essence of the Manor. Various video edits were created to fulfill different marketing needs, with a longer one-minute version featured prominently on the website, offering an immersive experience that highlights the property’s allure.
The Results
By partnering with experienced branding and PR professionals, the Manor at Keswick successfully established a compelling brand identity and a robust online presence, effectively positioning it in the luxury real estate market while significantly enhancing its visibility.
The newly launched website became a pivotal tool in the marketing strategy, attracting a substantial number of highly qualified leads. The integration of sophisticated visual and written elements within the site conveyed exclusivity of the estate. While the final sale status of the property remains private, the strategic approach employed has been instrumental in generating serious interest and engagement from potential buyers. The project’s success not only elevated the property’s profile but also reinforced its position as a premier real estate opportunity in Charlottesville.
