Real estate advertising can be a bit predictable: house photo, a Realtor headshot, company info, witty tag line. But I’m newly inspired. I’m going to shake things up a bit and really get this market rolling!
After reading about Ford Motor Co.’s ingenious new advertising campaign for the 2013 Mustang, I am going to applaud the marketing wizard who totally nailed the car’s demographic … and then blatantly steal the idea.
Have you heard about what Ford did?
The latest annual edition of the widely circulated Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition has hit the newsstands. Unsurprisingly, it is filled with scantily clad "robots" — er — women (I’m pretty sure they are real, but I’ve never actually seen one in its natural habitat) posing on tropical beaches, sandy surf, and on top of luxurious rock outcroppings. They really are something.
Well, in between photos of the bathing beauties, Ford inserted an advertisement that I hope everyone takes note of: a shiny blue 2013 Mustang poses seductively behind a blue-bikini babe, who stands just out of frame.
Oh, how frustrating! She looks so hot, but the trouble is we can’t see her face! She has a great physique, a cute two-piece and long legs — but who is she? Thank goodness her name appears below: "Swimsuit model Dalena Henriques and the new 2013 Mustang."
Ahhh. So the first thing you do is Google that name on your smartphone.
D-a-l-e-n-a-H-e-n-r-i-q-u-e-s. Hmmm. Yes! There it is! She has her own website! So you quickly click over and find out that … her name delivers you to a secondary Ford site that reveals more details about … the new 2013 Mustang.
Sure, there are many more photos of "Dalena Henriques," but they are all just snippets: an arm here, and there’s a leg, now she’s leaning across the trunk — but you never do get a look at her face.
So, I know you are wondering: Will Alisha be putting faceless models in all her real estate advertising? Well, it is a thought … No! That’s not the point! That’s not the genius of Ford’s campaign.
The takeaway is this: Do you know your demographic? Are you focusing your advertising toward their wants, needs and desires?
Do you have an integrated, multiplatform media campaign? You don’t have to spend millions to replicate Ford’s campaign.
You can start connecting your online presence in new ways. A brief brainstorming session and … what about a section of your blog dedicated to kitchens?
You could showcase all your listings’ kitchens and add recipes from the current homeowners. Or you could feature homes with cozy dens and their selected reading lists for interested buyers.
Those are just a couple ideas I came up with after three cups of coffee!
The possibilities are endless for creative cross-marketing plans — we Realtors just have to get out of the rut of "expected."
So no more boring photography with the word "delightful" underneath. Spice it up!
And that doesn’t mean you need to include photos of hot tubs and five women holding daiquiris. (Instead, how about photos of men doing housework?!) I’m sure Dalena Henriques would agree with me.
