Case Study:
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
How might we reposition affordable homes to drive participation
Olio partnered with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to rebrand its home-buying program, aiming to shift audience perception from a global charity affiliate to a local, community-based service provider. This strategic repositioning attracts middle-class buyers, boosts interest in first-time homeownership, builds community trust, advances racial equity in housing, and expands their impact as a leading affordable housing partner.
Learn
Our Human-Centered Design approach, started with extensive research to understand Twin Cities Habitat's prospective homebuyers. Olio conducted 1:1 conversations with internal stakeholders and community focus groups, uncovering key pain points and misconceptions about the Habitat for Humanity home-buying model. These insights, combined with housing data from sources like the Federal Reserve, informed our strategic approach.
Strategize
For Twin Cities Habitat, we developed a go-to-market strategy, including an ideal customer profile, brand positioning, and marketing strategy. We created personas and buyer’s journey maps to guide introducing Habitat as a homebuying option, addressing fears, and encouraging engagement. This led to a people-centric value proposition, optimistic messaging, and an identity system based on real home-buying experiences.
Activate
By adopting these strategic tools, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity can more effectively articulate the unique benefits of its homeownership program. This empowers them to connect with a broader, more diverse audience, guiding prospective buyers at every step. The result is a robust, sustainable pipeline, ensuring more families achieve the dream of homeownership and fostering stronger, more vibrant communities.
Results
On site graphics welcome buyers to explore newly constructed homes.
Media placements across local, culturally relevant publications to reach new audiences.
Digital ads target buyers in key geographic locations.
Strategic messages to encourage households to move through the buying journey.
Staff across multiple org functions are onboarded and working together.