The Cleo: A Bold Rebrand for Tempe's Student Scene
The Cleo needed more than a facelift. Positioned in one of the most competitive student housing markets near ASU, the property was struggling to attract renters with a brand that felt generic and forgettable. To compete, The Cleo needed an identity that spoke directly to a new generation of students, one built on energy, individuality and lifestyle appeal. Poetic led the full rebrand: naming, branding and a new website, transforming a run of the mill property into a vibrant, youthful destination that gives students a reason to choose The Cleo over every other option in town.
A New Name for a New Chapter
Transitioning from traditional multifamily to student housing meant introducing the community to an entirely new audience - and its name needed to signal that shift. In a Tempe market crowded with trendy, short-lived naming conventions, we looked for something simple, memorable and built to last. The Cleo gave the property a distinct identity that could feel at home near ASU without sounding like every other student community around it.
From Concept to Cleo: The Process Behind the Brand
Every rebrand starts with listening. We began with discovery calls, walking through mood boards, brand voice exercises and target audience alignment to understand not just who The Cleo needed to reach, but what it needed to become.
From there, Poetic developed three distinct brand directions, each with its own point of view. Every direction came with a complete system: logo suite, color palette, typography and pattern language, giving the client three genuinely different ways to imagine the future of the property.What followed was a series of feedback rounds, refining and narrowing until one direction rose to the top. The goal was never to pick a winner outright. It was to find the version that felt unmistakably The Cleo, a brand that reflected the client's vision while carrying Poetic's point of view and expertise all the way through.
The result was a brand identity built with intention: vibrant, youthful and ready to compete in one of the toughest student housing markets near ASU.
Words from our partners
The Poetic team did a fantastic job with the rebranding of The Cleo. As a conventional apartment owner, I appreciated how well the team recognized the distinct demographic and positioning needs of student housing versus conventional multifamily. Poetic's guidance in navigating those differences was invaluable.
The collaborative approach throughout the project was exceptional, and the level of expertise your team brought was a major reason this project was so successful. We truly value the partnership we have with Poetic.
Elizabeth Schloss
Baron Properties
Let's compose something extraordinary together.
