It’s all in the presentation
Making the Message Matter: The Art and Impact of Marketing
As luxury construction specialists, we understand the importance of presentation!
Castellum’s New Digital Facelift: A Reflection of Our Values and Expertise
At Castellum, we understand that first impressions matter. As specialists in luxury residential transformations, we know the power of a well-executed facelift – whether it’s for a property or a digital platform! We are therefore proud to announce the launch of our newly updated website, courtesy of Castellum’s own Dorcas George-Jones, Flossie Huck from Wabbey Design and Ed Laycock at Cumulus Digital. The update is not only about aesthetics; it is about better representing what we do, who we are, and the values we stand for.
Our website upgrade has been designed to offer deeper insight into Castellum’s expertise and ethos. From elegant visuals to concise messaging, the platform embodies and communicates our core values of collaboration, quality and integrity. By creating a digital space that mirrors the refinement and care we bring to every residential project, we are inviting our clients and future clients to explore Castellum’s website, to give them an accurate and authentic impression of what we are all about. With thoughtfully curated photographs, showcasing past projects and meticulous messaging, our newly refreshed website serves as a visual and narrative testament to our commitment to excellence.
The Importance of Marketing in Luxury Residential Construction
Marketing plays a pivotal role in positioning luxury brands like Castellum. In a highly competitive space where buyers and investors are inundated with choices; standing out (and the ability to translate why we stand out) is essential. Research shows that effective marketing is directly correlated with brand trust and client satisfaction; luxury brands thrive on creating not just products or services, but experience and stories that clients want to be part of (Kotler and Keller, 2016).
Our marketing strategy, reflected in our website update, focuses on aligning visuals and messaging with the aspirations of our audience – with the hope that prospective clients like what they see! For Castellum, marketing isn’t just about promoting our work – its about communicating our unique ability to transform spaces and fulfil our client’s desires for luxury and refinement.
Clear Communication: The Bridge Between Vision and Reality
Good communication lies at the heart of every successful project and relationship, whether between a business and its clients, or a designer and their vision. Castellum’s updated website showcases our work, and the literature that we produce throughout the tender process, further enhances communication by offering clearer insights into our processes, services and projects. It is important to acknowledge the consequences of ineffective communication in marketing, that can lead to significant challenges for organisations, including misalignment between teams, loss of trust and reduced customer engagement. Research highlights that poor communication within an integrated marketing strategy can cause “compartmentalisation” and “de-contextualisation”, where different disciplines fail to collaborate effectively, leading to inconsistent brand messaging and missed opportunities.
As luxury residential construction specialists, we pride ourselves on collaboration, quality and integrity, values that are reflected in how we communicate. Transparency in our processes and trustworthiness in our messaging are integral to maintaining long-term relationships with our clients. By updating our digital presence, we are reinforcing this commitment to clarity and trust; studies do in fact emphasise the role of trust and authenticity in building luxury brand loyalty (Beverland, 2004).
Showcasing Core Values Through Messaging and Photography
The foundation of Castellum’s identity is built on three core values:
Collaboration Too many project teams speak of getting embroiled in ‘us versus them’ scenarios, impacting delivery for a mutual client. At Castellum we prefer to promote a collaborative culture with consultants and subcontractors, as partners in our project teams, working together in partnership for the benefit of our mutual client. This is something that, as contractors striving for excellence, we are passionate about.
Quality This is non-negotiable in the luxury construction industry. We will accept nothing less than delivering the highest quality residence for our clients to fall in love with living in. We are constantly striving for betterment in everything we do, regularly with the help of our partners, raising the bar for quality.
Integrity Fairness and discretion is at the heart of everything we do. We conduct ourselves honestly and with respect whilst taking accountability and showing empathy for those we are working for and with. These traits are the foundations of integrity, which is a cornerstone our company is built on, and one we will never deviate from.
We very much hope that our website’s design and content reflect these values. High-quality images of our projects capture the essence of luxury and attention to detail, while concise yet evocative text conveys the passion and exclusivity we bring to each endeavour. Academic literature emphasises that luxury brands must ensure that every touchpoint reinforces their identity (Okonkwo, 2007).
The Role of Social Media
Our social media strategy aligns with recent research in the marketing world, which stresses that a multi-channel approach is essential for engaging diverse audiences and building brand visibility and equity (Lamb et al., 2019). In today’s digital-first world, social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest are indispensable tools for reaching, engaging and networking with individuals and businesses. Each platform serves a unique purpose for Castellum:
Instagram A visual showcase of our luxury projects, behind-the-scenes moments, and design inspiration. It also gives an opportunity to introduce team members and showcases events we both host and attend.
LinkedIn A professional space where we share insights, company updates and industry thought leadership.
Pinterest A platform for clients and designers to explore curated boards that reflect Castellum’s aesthetic and expertise.
By leveraging these platforms, we can extend the reach of Castellum, whilst maintaining the exclusivity and discretion that define Castellum. Keeping up with developments and trends in marketing (such as the evolving social media space) is crucial for businesses aiming to maintain relevance and competitiveness in today’s rapidly evolving market. Research highlights that staying current with these trends enables businesses to adapt to shifting consumer behaviours, new technologies, and competitive pressures (Aksoy et al., 2013).
Why This Update Matters
We are excited about our updated website, especially given that a brand’s digital presence often shapes a client’s perception before they ever make eye contact with our incredible team (Lamb et al., 2019). A well designed website serves as a gateway, offering potential clients a glimpse into what it’s like to work with Castellum.
Whether you are exploring our projects, connecting with us on social media, or experiencing Castellum in person, our message is clear. We are dedicated to transforming spaces and exceeding expectations.
As we continue to innovate and elevate our services, we invite you to explore our new website and follow us on Instagram (@castellumbuild), LinkedIn (Castellum LinkedIn), and Pinterest (Castellum Pinterest).
References
Aksoy, L., Buoye, A., Aksoy, P., Larivière, B., & Keiningham, T. L. (2013) ‘A cross-national investigation of the satisfaction and loyalty linkage for mobile telecommunications services across eight countries,’ Journal of Interactive Marketing, 27(1), pp. 74–82.
Beverland, M. B. (2004). “Uncovering ‘theories-in-use’: Building luxury wine brands.” European Journal of Marketing, 38(3/4), 446–466.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management. Pearson Education. Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., & McDaniel, C. (2019). Marketing. Cengage Learning.
Okonkwo, U. (2007). Luxury Fashion Branding: Trends, Tactics, Techniques. Palgrave Macmillan. Ots, M. & Nyilasy, G. (2015) ‘Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC): Why Does It Fail?
An Analysis of Practitioner Mental Models Exposes Barriers of IMC Implementation’, Journal of Advertising Research, 55(2), pp. 132–145. doi:10.2501/JAR-55-2-132-145.
Networking
Hand in hand with marketing, goes networking – the importance of which cannot be overstated. Networking provides the opportunity to catch up with familiar faces and meet new ones; often in incredible surroundings. This month we have been busy! Events have included a trip to Cheltenham races, a private tour of The Old Bodleian Library at Oxford University with dinner courtesy of Rathbones and Freeths, an event at The Royal Ocean Racer’s Club with ABC, and an event at Kensington Roof Top Gardens with Randle Siddeley followed by the All Blacks thrashing England at rugby. Amongst other things, we have also enjoyed breakfasts with Martin Kemp Design and Yangou Architecture, coffees with Mandarin Stone, Dyntec AV Consultants and ROAM and lunches with Webster Hart, Adam Architecture, Wolff Architects, Holloway Architects and Corrigan Gore.
Whilst the events happen to have been focussed on coffee and dining this month (what better way to have an opportunity to chat and get to know our partners and future collaborators better?), we also enjoy plenty of other networking events across the year that include cycling, running, dragon boating and, of course, plenty of golf! Our events calendar for 2025 is filling up fast and we are looking forward to them all. We love being hosted and we love hosting – there is much planned and yet to arrange. If you would like the opportunity to get to know us better, please make contact with us – we are a friendly and sociable bunch. Networking is lots of fun but, importantly, it is a great way to forge meaningful relationships. And now, here comes December – tis the season!
Fundraising
Lyndon, our group MD has shared his story on LinkedIn this week – without the incredible work of spinal surgeons and research, he would be paralysed from the waist down.
He went from running for his country (New Zealand) in 2010, to learning to walk again in a metal cage in 2013.
In 2025 he is running the London Marathon, aiming for a time of 2:40 (or better), fundraising for Spinal Research. For his full story and to sponsor him, please click here.
Meet the team section – Phoebe Jones
I am currently a BA Marketing Undergraduate at the University of Liverpool, due to graduate in summer 2026. I joined Castellum as a general assistant during my gap year in 2022, working initially in the London office, and then across all three divisions of Castellum during the summer months. I have now reduced my hours and work remotely part time since starting my degree. To complement my studies I now work for the marketing department, focussing on managing all social media accounts including Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest, organising and updating the company’s photographic library, and writing journal articles (this being my second). I am so grateful for Castellum for this incredible opportunity; to get industry experience whilst studying is adding real relevance to my studies – and I hope they are feeling that I am adding value too.
When I’m not studying or working, I love singing and playing my piano, walking the dogs, playing tennis (both at my home club, East Glos, and with the University of Liverpool Tennis Society) and, as a student, I’m no stranger to a night out!