Showcasing REALTOR® Value with CREA’s National Ad Campaign: ‘Welcome Home’

 “A REALTOR® won’t just help you buy a house, they’ll help you find a home.”

That’s the message of our latest national ad campaign, hitting screens across the nation.

Since March 2020, the word “home” has taken on new meaning as public health restrictions kept us inside more than ever. Our homes became much more than just a place to sleep at night. For many, home also became their office, school and gym.

This “new normal” also inspired many Canadians to re-think where their home should be.

It also inspired us to develop a heartwarming commercial which captures first-time home buyers as they imagine their future home and how a REALTOR® was there for them during the biggest transaction of their lives.

The ad highlights how a REALTOR®—with knowledge, dedication and expertise—helps their client find the perfect home.

As REALTORS®, we understand the emotional aspect of buying a property.

Buyers aren’t just looking for outdoor space, a kitchen or dining room. It’s not just a place to live in. It’s the setting where memories are made. A home. We illustrate this message in the ads as staged houses transform into lived-in homes as prospective buyers tour the property. With each step they take, the buyer’s dream becomes more vivid, a glimpse into their future. And with them every step of the way? A REALTOR®, of course.

The decision to move in this direction is representative of data collected which emphasizes the significance and emotional meaning surrounding the purchase of a home. Consumer sentiment tells us time and time again a home is one of the most important purchases many will make in their lifetime. Having an expert at their side is invaluable to the process.

Members of the CREA Marketing and Communications Committee and CREA staff also introduced a diversity, equity and inclusion panel as part of the formal review process to share unbiased perspective, expose gaps and ensure the ads would have the right impact.

Making the campaign

We were pleased to be working with UNION Creative again this year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to pivot production to a hybrid model while maintaining the high standards our members and consumers are used to seeing.

Director Pekka Hara helmed production from Helsinki, Finland, while filming happened in Toronto and the CREA team tuned in via Zoom from Ottawa. It was challenging, but successful.

In fact, it was thanks to our new virtual capabilities we were able to broaden our talent pool and work with Pekka. Pekka’s body of work and capabilities brought a style and depth to the production that allowed us to really focus on a story told through performance and emotion (and body language—since none of our characters speak on camera). The outcome is a collection of quality TV/online video ads which tell a story in a way that works brilliantly with, and even without, audio.

Our comprehensive approach includes a mix of different platforms including new ones like Spotify and TikTok, to help extend our reach and capabilities of sharing the value of a REALTOR®. In addition to video, we’ve also created dynamic stills for social media and other digital platforms. The campaign runs until the end of November 2021.

What do you think of this year’s campaign? Have your say in the Comments below.