Re/Max is aiming to own reliable advice-giving in its marketing with the launch of its new ‘”Strangersplain” spot.
The new ad is part of its “Advice You Need” campaign, which includes a number of successful spots that ran last year.
The overall campaign aims to take a humorous approach to offering good advice for prospective homeowners, with the new spot communicating that Re/Max staff have more reliable expertise than strangers can offer. Arrivals + Departures handled the campaign strategy and creative for the campaign.
Re/Max Canada executive director of marketing Anthony Volpini says the new iteration of the “Advice You Need” campaign matches the current state of the real estate industry, where a challenging market has led to more part-time agents juggling multiple jobs. He says buyers and sellers need full-time agents to get the proper service and expertise they need.
“We’re sort of calling that out in a fun way of saying ‘if you’re going to buy or sell, you need a full-time agent,’” Volpini tells strategy.
“The brief that we gave to the agency was [that] we want to bring to light the idea that our agents are full-time versus part-time, and we want to keep the same creative concept that we saw in year one with ‘Dadsplain’ and ‘Hypesplain.’”
“Dadsplain” and “Hypesplain” touted the expertise of Re/Max agents in place of well-meaning but pushy fathers and over-hyped encouragement. The ‘Hypesplain’ spot featured NBA star and former Toronto Raptors player Kyle Lowry hyping up a family to buy a new home with advice that was lacking in substance.
The new “Strangersplain” spot will run in a national, multi-channel campaign on broadcast TV, digital streaming channels and OOH.
The campaign’s goal, Volpini says, is still primarily to reach first-time homebuyers between the ages of 25 to 44. Its intent is to underline the expertise and knowledge Re/Max offers consumers, something that Volpini believes gives the brand a competitive advantage.
“Advice was really something we can own because it’s backed up by facts. We say ‘get the advice you need.’ Why is that true? Well, because Re/Max agents are the most experienced agents in Canada and the most productive,” Volpini says.
“It’s a pretty easy message for the consumer to get. If [buyers] need advice – and everyone does with buying or selling, it’s such a tricky market – Re/Max backs it up with research. And we think the humour just stands out in the real estate space.”
Volpini adds that Re/Max is looking to produce another ad for the “Advice You Need” campaign this summer or fall, potentially using a professional athlete as they did previously with Lowry.
True Media handled the media buy.
