On 1 Dec. 2014, Deutsche Annington and Gagfah – two tiers of the German real estate market with an extremely poor reputation at that time – announced their merger. With a new brand positioning, brand architecture and corporate design, the company was able to embark on a completely new journey with a symbolic new name. "Vonovia” suggests “new living” and has sympathetic overtones. As the name can be easily pronounced in 23 languages, it represents and values the diversity of the tenants. The new brand positioning is based on the mission to provide people with homes – and not just four walls.