Brand identity and website development

APL Group

APL Group, a newly established independent real estate and livestock sales network, was created by a group of independent stock and station agents, many of whom had previously been involved with a large national franchise. Their vision – establish a large national network of elite stock and station agents, unified under and single brand, yet empowered to deliver unbiased services, tailored specifically to their own regional communities and local clients.

“APL Group came to us with a bold vision: to create a brand, unifying their network while celebrating the independence and uniqueness of each branch. It was a challenge we were excited to take on, knowing the impact it could have on their industry.”

Kym Ebenestelli, Director, Head of Brand Strategy

The challenge was complex yet clear:

retain the existing goodwill of a group of independent, un-connected businesses, keeping existing names wherever possible, while ensuring the market recognises their strong inter-connectivity and willingness to leverage connections for the ultimate benefit of their customers. The suggestion initially proposed by the client was to simply introduce an ‘APL badge of endorsement’ for each business.
create a strategy to connect six ‘founding’ businesses while permitting scalability as new independent businesses are invited to join the network. This included devising a flexible naming strategy to allow for manageable future expansion.
innovation is a cornerstone value of this brand. It’s essential the brand is highly sophisticated, appeals to the desired target audience and ensures the network gains the attention of the desired target customer.
this brand needed to be adaptable for growth, easily recognisable, and versatile enough to fit everything from property signage in existing business premises, to websites and digital platforms including Real Estate Online and AuctionsPlus.
signal to customers that they now have a real choice, a viable alternative to the large national businesses currently dominating this market.

A mark of quality

To bring APL’s vision to life, dms CREATiVE worked closely with the founding members, utilising dms CREATiVE’S Signature Brand Building Series to help develop and articulate a shared brand vision, and strategic intention. The tyranny of distance was overcome thanks to video technology, allowing for regular meetings to maintain momentum and an effective and efficient use of everyone’s time.

Key steps included:

identifying what customers will value most when choosing APL;
defining APL’s unique selling points and competitive advantages;
aligning the strategic intent across the group and providing a values framework for assessing future potential members;
developing a compelling brand story and consistent key messaging;
designing visuals to reflect strength, confidence, and independence.

dms CREATiVE delivered.

Facilitating conversations between key stakeholders about pros and cons of various brand strategies (Multi-Brand vs Endorsed Brand vs House of Brands), ultimately deciding on an Endorsed Brand strategy.
Creating customised logo and branding: a true mark of quality – reserved exclusively for top-tier agents.
Website copywriting, design and build for APL Group as well as each of the individual offices. Includes API integrations with various CRMs across the group to push individual property listings, plus collections to manage data and livestock listings.
Property and shopfront signage, bold and recognisable across multiple locations.
Stationery packs, business cards and email signatures to inspire confidence across the group.
Rural Press advertising strategy (including Queensland Country Life, Courier Mail, The Land) – including design of bold ads clearly indicating a fresh, new approach. Plus PPC advertising for digital platforms (including Google, and Meta).
Rollout of promotional collateral and merchandise for each office and the APL Group.
And much more still to come as we continue to bring this brand to life.

“We set out to create a brand that would shake up a long-established industry and allow for rapid growth and expansion. Every element supports APL’s values of independence, excellence, and innovation and their mission of delivering the best result.”

Kym Ebenestelli, Director, Head of Brand Strategy

APL Group - A network of elite stock and station agents.

Irrefutably, APL Group is rapidly gaining traction as an elite network defined by strength, professionalism, and independence. The brand delivers on its promise of consistency and adaptability, offering branches the flexibility to customise certain elements while maintaining a unified identity across the network.

The new brand identity has:

established APL as a mark of quality, reserved for top-tier agents;
provided a solid foundation for growth, attracting clients and high-performing agents alike;
allowed branches to retain their existing goodwill while leveraging the broader APL network.

With dms CREATiVE’s strategic and creative input, APL Group successfully transitioned to an independent brand that offers both consistency and flexibility, setting them apart in the real estate and livestock sales market.