Stella Maris: Find Your Way Home

Stella Maris is a new residential enclave of waterfront apartments and townhomes in the charming suburb of Rippleside near Geelong. Located on the site of the heritage-listed St Helens (previously used as a convent, school and private residence), we were excited to work with developer Monno on such a special project.

The brief

Given the rich history of the site on which the new development was being built, the developer wanted a brand that would honour its past, but also look to the future.

The project was to set a new benchmark of luxury living in Geelong, so having an aspirational facet to the brand was vital. Wellness, connectivity, quality, technology and sustainability would define the offering, set against the beautiful contrast between the natural and urban environments.

St Helens Mansion – artist impression

It’s all in a name

We chose a name taken from the heritage of the site: Stella Maris, meaning ‘star of the sea’ or a guiding spirit. It capitalises on the site’s history and distinguishes it from other developments in the area.

As a name, Stella Maris has an elegant, refined feel that immediately exudes notions of prestige and beauty. The connection of the name to the sea is obviously relevant, but subtle in nature.

It was the notion of ‘guiding’, however, that we loved most; it positions the development as a beacon on the coast, a shining example of how special life in Geelong can be.

Early challenges

Stella Maris is actually comprised of four different buildings surrounding the St Helens mansion, which house premium apartments, townhomes and duplexes.

To differentiate between the product offerings, we created a name for each to sit under the Stella Maris umbrella: The Acreage (apartments and duplexes), Nautica House and The Arbory (luxe waterfront apartments) and Park Row (three elegant townhomes).

The brochure was divided into sections based on the different offerings.

We decided it was best to simplify the offering upon launch, and also strengthen brand equity, by only referring to the overarching Stella Maris brand in our coming soon and now selling campaigns. It was only once potential buyers were aware of the brand, and viewing the website or brochure, did we get into the detail of the four different offerings.

An aspirational campaign

We created a “find your way” concept to act as the foundation of our campaign for Stella Maris, building on the “guide” meaning in the name.

Social ads – artist impression

Taglines such as “find your way home” and “find your forever” invited the audience to embark on their own unique journey to a new home or new life, with Stella Maris being the ultimate destination. We then took a minimal, elegant approach to the design, to reflect the prestige of the residences and the coastal luxury of the lifestyle on offer.

The results

Our campaign launched in late 2022 and it was instantly apparent that our creative and messaging was resonating with our target audience.

Within the first 60 days, 33% of the development had already sold, including achieving a new off-the-plan apartment sales record for Geelong.

It has been a standout start to the campaign and we look forward to seeing its ongoing success this year.

View more of our creative work for Stella Maris.