Property developers have for years pushed the boundaries when advertising their new builds.

And now it seems they are going to ever more extraordinary lengths to win the hearts – and cash – of investors.

An article in Friday’s Guardian pointed to the marketing of Aykon Tower in Battersea as “Versace on the inside, London on the outside”, while London City Island in Canning Town possesses a name almost as bold as its marketing statement, which claims its apartments will “draw on East London’s post-seafaring energy”.

One would have thought that location, quality of the apartments and price would be the driving factors, but the piece highlights the fact that many marketing people are looking at what else their developments have to offer to attract buyers.

For example, at One Blackfriars, investors may or may not be attracted by the thought that “tired muscles can be soothed with a visit to the in-house spa,” while “the private screening room and wine tasting areas offer further distraction”.

And at Prime Place’s new 1,000-home Aberfeldy Village, the Hong Kong branch of Hamptons shows a girl in her late teens or early 20s flying into a life of shopping, friends and theatre-going.

The paper reports: “Often with only computer-generated imagery (CGI) to show a development’s physical structure, the promotion of a ready-made lifestyle is regarded as crucial. Developers in pursuit of a wealthy elite produce glossy brochures interspersed with property profiles and articles on the latest in luxury hotels, members clubs and private jet hire.”

Others use the history and attractions surrounding their developments as the key marketing strategy. A computer generated image of the Southbank Place development shows its position between the Shard and the London Eye, while One Blackfriars (“London’s new masterpiece”) is shown situated between the London Eye and St Paul’s.

The full story can be seen here