Candleston—naming Melin's new housing development company

By Nathan,

June 2018

Insights
Melin—the non-profit social housing provider—formed a new commercial arm of the business and asked us to create a name and brand from the company.

Every naming process begins with a workshop. This helps us understand who the client is, what they want to achieve and identify their target audience. As part of creating the new company, the team at Melin had already been busy conducting internal engagement and team workshops to help channel their vision for the new company, so we had everything we needed to get naming.

Image of Redrow, Taylor Wimpy and Eden Stone logos

The new company's goal was not just to just fit into the market, but to be one of its front runners taking on the likes of Redrow and Taylor Wimpey, who as you know are trusted and well established housing developers. The challenge was to create a name that oozed quality, emoted trust and reflected their values of building and caring for communities instilled from many years providing social housing.

Workshop findings

It’s all in the name

We wanted the new name to embody the core values and personality of the new company; trustworthy, quality, professional, friendly and reassuring. But also incorporate a sense of heritage, a connection to its Welsh roots and have a story to tell.

When looking at what ‘home’ meant to people, the saying ‘a man’s home is his castle’ sprang to mind and the sentiment behind it—a place of safety and security. Inspired by this, we began digging into Welsh history and discovered Candleston Castle. As one of the earliest domestic buildings built in South Wales, we loved what the name ‘Candleston’ represented, but loved even more what we saw within it—candle.

Candleston castle
The remains of Candleston Castle

As a symbol of hope, warmth and light in the darkness, the candle—and more importantly its flame—emitted that sense of reassurance and energy that fitted perfectly with the brand vision and would help it come alive.

Now the company had its name, we were ready to furnish it with a brand that would propel it to a market leader. You can read about the branding here.