New York City remains the unconquered Wild West of the real estate industry, with no MLS adopted by all brokers to consolidate listings, renters pay broker fees, and brokers have to pay to list on Craigslist. The list goes on, but you get the point.
So how do the major real estate search portals compete when they can’t just snag a single MLS feed for a market and plop them on their site? Realtor.com is opting to launch a multimedia ad campaign to push their new “real estate in real time” message. They’ve already localized the search process for locals to accommodate local inventory nuances and search patterns, and they’ve already signed agreements with most of the big brokers in town to keep listings fresh, but now, they’re hitting the streets.
Taking the realtor.com experience to the locals
“The localized campaign introduces the new realtor.com® New York experience, which provides buyers, sellers and renters of homes with the competitive edge they need to navigate the complex New York market,” said Ryan O’Hara, chief executive officer of Move. “The campaign is consistent with the rhythm and energy of New York City and extends our overarching message that realtor.com® represents what is ‘real’ in real estate by delivering the most accurate listings and arming consumers with the data, tools and professional expertise they need to find their perfect home.”
So why the big push? Besides taming the beast that is NYC, Move was recently acquired by News Corp, and guess where News Corp is headquartered? New York City.
More about the campaign
Campaign headlines include “Move On Up To The Lower East Side,” “Find Your Dream Apartment In A New York Minute,” and “It’s Time To Stop And Think Outside The Brownstone.” Clever.
Print ads will be featured on the back and inside covers of Metro NY and AM New York, as well as insertions in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. They’ll be splashing the catchy mottos on websites like The Real Deal, Brick Underground, Brownstoner, and others, and of course they’ll be wrapping buses and billboards, phone kiosks, street carts, and digital signs in Times Square. They’re serious about getting this message out and are betting big on expanding their presence in the Big Apple.
