The Challenge

Naming the Community

Our approach to naming is not something we take lightly. We go beyond clever monikers and catchy phrasing. We begin the process with research – into the area, its history, terrain, personality and vibe. For this challenge, we dug deep into this area of California, zeroing in on what makes it truly unique and supports our client’s decision to build an innovative senior living community here. Ultimately, we presented three possible names for the community: 

• The James – from the city’s namesake, James Irvine.
• The Palmer – from the Palmer navel orange, a sweet variety still grown in California.
• The Paseo – from the Spanish, meaning a path or avenue designed for walking, often with opportunities for dining, recreation and socializing, perhaps at The District at Tustin Legacy.

Our client immediately gravitated to The James and its direct relationship to James Irvine.

Designing the Logo

Following the lead set by our research, as well as the architecture, lifestyle and environment residents would experience, we created a logo design that employs a modern typographic style, along with a stylish icon of an orange, playing off the history of the original orchard grounds.

Building the Brand Standards

All corporate, community and services logos developed by Angell Marketing come with a brand style guide to ensure consistency across print and digital marketing communications.

Naming Community Amenities and Developing Their Logos

Along with the community name and logo design, we were charged with naming and designing logos for several venues within the community. Drawing upon some of the work we’d already done, these included:

The name was derived from Orchard Hills, which is part of Irvine Ranch, CA. The script, in combination with the serif font, makes for a simple contrast that is unique and approachable.

The name was inspired by the type of orange originally grown in the Irvine, CA area. The apostrophe in the name is replaced by a simple orange leaf, which plays off the citrus-patterned wallpaper and origin of the name.

Jamesons’ is the bistro bar within The James. The double J icon is a contemporary representation of a high-top bar table, and the selected brand colors play nicely with the burnt orange chair fabric and the dark metal trim and lighting.

Providing Direction for Video Creation

Bringing a yet-to-be-built community to life is essential for piquing prospect interest. A video that invites viewers along on a journey into the spaces they can envision will someday be “home” answers that call.

The James remains under construction, and we and our client believe the results of the naming and logo development process we undertook provides a strong foundation for future strategic marketing and creative execution.