ULI Europe is a complex, multi-layered organisation, operating across multiple countries, disciplines and member groups.
As Jan Peter, COO Europe explains:
“We needed to bring clarity to something that had become too complicated to explain.”
While the organisation delivers significant value through its programmes, events and research, communicating that value clearly – both internally and externally – has become increasingly difficult.
Different teams were describing ULI’s work in different ways. Messaging lacked consistency. And in some cases, the complexity of the organisation made it harder for audiences to understand what ULI actually offered.
The challenge wasn’t a lack of activity.
It was a lack of clarity and consistency in how that activity was communicated.
Working closely with ULI Europe’s leadership team, Offbeat developed a structured communications approach designed to simplify how the organisation described itself.
This included:
The focus was not on adding more communication, but on ensuring that everything being said was clear, consistent and easy to understand.
As part of this work, ULI’s Advisory Services messaging was restructured to better reflect its purpose, expertise and impact – simplifying what had previously been difficult to explain.
The revised messaging was quickly adopted internally.
When presenting Advisory Services at the ULI Chairs Retreat, Simon Chinn (Vice President Research & Advisory Services) incorporated the updated messaging directly into his presentation, helping to communicate the programme more clearly to senior leadership.
This marked an important shift.
Clarity was no longer something being developed – it was something being used.
As clarity began to take hold across the organisation, it created the conditions for more structured and effective marketing activity.
Alongside the wider communications work, ULI Europe introduced a free trial membership campaign, designed to reach professionals who had not previously engaged with the organisation.
The aim was not simply to increase volume, but to attract better-fit members – individuals more likely to engage with ULI over the long term.
As John Griffin, Digital Marketing Manager at ULI Europe, explains:
“We wanted to push beyond the audiences already on our radar and encourage professionals who hadn’t engaged with ULI before to experience membership.”
The campaign was delivered as an always-on initiative, combining organic LinkedIn content with targeted paid campaigns across key markets and events.
Offbeat supported the campaign by helping shape messaging, coordinating internal input, and ensuring the campaign reflected the voices of ULI’s membership community.
Real members were featured throughout, helping to create a more authentic and relatable message.
This activity wasn’t separate from the wider work – it was a direct reflection of it.
From a performance perspective, the campaign delivered strong early results:
As John notes:
“It definitely created broader awareness and drove strong traffic to the membership pages.”
The UK team also reported increased membership enquiries and record conference sign-ups during the campaign period.
With the trial structured over a three-month period, early indicators suggest that a proportion of participants are converting into full or associate membership, providing a new route into long-term engagement with ULI.
That same shift is also visible across ULI’s wider activity, including its flagship European Conference (EC2026, Berlin) – the organisation’s most important annual event and a major driver of revenue.
As Beth Beeson, Vice President, Events & Programmes, Europe, shared following the early bird campaign:
“We closed early bird registrations… an 11% increase vs 2025.”
This reflected a strong start for the event, supported by a more targeted approach to amplifying messaging across LinkedIn – including coordinated activity through sponsors, partners and internal teams.
Over time, the effect of the work became more visible.
As clarity improved, teams across ULI Europe began to communicate more consistently. Messaging became easier to use, easier to adapt, and easier to apply across different programmes and regions.
What had previously felt complex and fragmented began to feel more aligned – not because activity increased, but because communication became clearer.
The most meaningful outcome wasn’t just improved communication – it was greater confidence across the organisation.
The impact of the work can be seen not just in how ULI describes itself, but in how it engages its audiences.
The organisation moved from explaining what it does, to communicating it clearly and confidently.
The success of the work came from focusing on clarity over volume.
Rather than adding more communication, the work focused on making existing communication work better.
ULI Europe is now better positioned to communicate its value across a complex international landscape.
As Jan explained at the outset:
“We needed to bring clarity to something that had become too complicated to explain.”
That clarity is now reflected not just in how the organisation describes itself, but in how it engages new audiences and brings them into the network.
Through initiatives like the trial membership campaign, ULI has created a more accessible route for professionals to experience the organisation – and, as John notes:
“It definitely created broader awareness and drove strong traffic to the membership pages.”
What was once difficult to explain is now easier to understand, easier to communicate, and easier for new audiences to engage with.
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