This wasn’t simply a visual refresh. The project was about helping Muse articulate who they really are, shifting perception from a dependable regeneration developer to one of the UK’s leading placemakers. The results have been significant.

Within two years of launch:

• The development pipeline grew from £1.8bn to £4.1bn

• Live projects increased from 16 to 31

• Website traffic increased by more than 2,000%

• Bounce rate reduced from 54% to 18%

• Mailing list subscribers increased by 67%

• Email open rates doubled the industry average

The project also helped strengthen Muse’s visibility and influence across the sector.

At UKREiiF – the UK’s leading real estate and infrastructure event – Muse evolved from a smaller fringe presence to hosting its own dedicated stage, attracting nearly 2,000 visitors in 2025 and becoming the only developer featured on the main programme.

Internally, the rebrand created a clearer and more unified platform for communication across bids, partnerships, social media, digital channels and stakeholder engagement. A new visual identity, website, content system and brand portal gave teams the tools to communicate with far more consistency and confidence.

One of the most rewarding parts of the project was helping articulate the long-term social impact of Muse’s work – creating places centred around community, sustainability and everyday life rather than simply development outputs.

The DBA judges recognised the project as a strong example of how strategically-led design can influence perception, unlock growth and create measurable commercial value.

Huge credit goes to the team at Muse for embracing the process and driving the work forward collaboratively.

And thanks to everyone involved from the wider Smiling Wolf team and partners who helped bring the project to life.