Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

So much goes into bringing a home collection or master-planned community to life — and marketing is one of the final pieces that makes all the difference. Great marketing builds brand awareness, drives sales, and fuels revenue growth. During the virtual March NHTI Consumer Trends Council meeting, we learned from examples of marketing campaigns around the country. Based on the positive momentum during the discussion, we saw an opportunity to highlight even more great campaigns going forward. This new special feature kicks off that effort, showcasing examples from builders and developers nationwide. And this is just the beginning — keep an eye out for more marketing inspiration tucked into future features, as well as additional special editions focused on standout campaigns.

Great marketing can build a brand, make people laugh, honor those around us, or even educate. The following marketing pieces do just that in classic and sometimes more unconventional ways.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

The New Home Company - Homes for Our Heroes

In a time where our community heroes were risking more than ever, The New Home Company launched their “Homes for our Heroes” campaign during 2020 and the Pandemic. Not only does this ad celebrate first responders, educators, healthcare professionals, and men and women in the service, it also highlights a great incentive program to help that group of people have a better chance at buying a home. What a noble opportunity.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

The New Home Company Drip Campaign

Buying a new home can be daunting, especially for the first time. Knowledge is power though. Through this drip campaign, The New Home Company helps to educate their potential buyers about buying a home including frequently asked questions or why to buy versus rent.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Miller & Smith - Feels Like Coming Home

Miller & Smith embraced the emotional connection people have with their home and created a campaign about feeling like you’ve always belonged there. The different ads highlight how people could live their lives in a Miller & Smith home from holiday baking to gathering around the table for dinner.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

The campaign includes ads like the ones seen here as well as videos on the company’s website and YouTube. With taglines like Instant Belonging, Where Your Story Beings, and Built Around Life, this campaign welcomes you home and connects people to the beautiful things that make a house a home.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Garman Homes New Interior Package Launch

When the Garman team started planning the marketing for their new interior packages, they knew they wanted to lean into the “Pairs Well With” concept. The idea was to give each package its own personality - assigning it traits, hobbies, and vibes - so people could easily see how a package might fit into their lifestyle. They wanted to create a way for buyers to connect with the packages on a more personal level, helping them find the one that felt just right for them.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Since Garman is all about having fun and pushing boundaries in the homebuilding space, they knew their social media approach had to reflect that same energy. Internally, the team kept talking about the packages like they were people - like potential matches. And with the launch happening around Valentine’s Day, the idea clicked: what if each package had its own Tinder profile? People could “swipe right” on the one that matched their lifestyle. It was a fun, unexpected way to bring personality into the product and help people see themselves in the spaces they create.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Infinity Properties Design IQ

How do you help your buyers know that you are different? Infinity Properties created their Design IQ campaign back around 2011 and refreshed it a couple years ago to do just that. They created a booklet to show their potential customers why they are special and how they are taking a “stand against the tidal wave of generic-ness.”

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

The full booklet is available on their website as well as hard copies in each of the model homes. The Design IQ book highlights the builder’s personality and values in a fun and beautiful way. The collateral helps potential buyers understand that not only will their homes be different than the competitors, but their experience will be too.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Branding or selling homes in a community is about so much more than the homes built or the amenities. It’s about what the community will mean to the residents. What can they expect in their potential new place to live? The following marketing pieces show off ads, pieces from brochures, billboards, and even a Spotify playlist. Meet your consumers where they are and create a connection.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Teravalis, A Howard Hughes Community

Howard Hughes launched this campaign to advertise that new homes are coming soon, but the branding and imagery show families coming together amidst nature. The campaign was no random concept, it was driven by research showing consumers’ top requested amenities involve a connection to nature. The imagery chosen throughout the campaign showcases the community’s stunning desert landscape and how homebuyers can connect to their surroundings via amenities and activities.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Crown Communities Amblebrook at Gettysburg

“More everyday joy.” Not only is this the tagline for the Amblebrook at Gettysburg community, but it’s also a way of life there. The community’s brochure is a great example of how the team used the tagline to highlight great aspects of the community including calling it “Your Guide to Everyday Joy.”

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Moving to a new community is exciting but can also be a little nerve-wracking. Will I like my neighbors? The community’s Guide to Everyday Joy helps to reassure but also lay out the promise of a wonderful future living in the community including making new friends and discovering a new city.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

East West Communities Hallsley Masterplan

It’s hard to top the Hallsley ice cream promotion. The team created a campaign featuring an ice cream cone full of different flavors and colors. The insight that drove this campaign was the distinctive architecture in this community and how no two homes were alike.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

The ice cream became a fun feature to have at events. A gelato truck was consistently used to give out free ice cream. According to the developer, people still talk about the ads years later. Some of the other headlines the campaign used were: “Where the One Thing We Don’t Have is Plain Vanilla,” “Life Beyond Vanilla,” and “Uniquely Hallsley.” This community went on to win Best Community in America from the NAHB Mame awards and BALA awards. The ads and the campaign won multiple local awards. Plus, Hallsley sold out in record time and to date is one of East West Communities most successful projects.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Rancho Mission Viejo Rienda

“Room To Bloom” is one of Rancho Mission Viejo’s currently running campaigns. It promotes the 3 brand new neighborhoods of Rienda which are grand opening in June. The ad is fun, vibrant, and creative and is geared more toward the move-up/family market. Also, it’s important to note that all of the community’s marketing contains real Ranch residents, no hired talent or models.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Empire Communities Welcome to Boomerhood™

Empire Communities has used a campaign called “Boomerhood” to target their age-qualified communities. This is their most recent Boomerhood campaign for their Heirloom community. The coined term of Boomerhood doesn’t imply being old but about finding your tribe. You are moving to be around your group and oh what fun it will be.

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

Oxland Group Two Step Farm

When launching a new community, one of the key things to do is to create an emotion connection with prospective residents. The team at Two Step Farm did this by telling an authentic story that is true to the land. Two Step Farm is in Montgomery County, Texas—the birthplace of the Texas flag. So, this community is their love letter to Texas, and their opportunity to share some of the state’s interesting history. For example, Two Step Hall (the signature amenity) pays homage to the historic dance halls in Central and South Texas built by German and Czech immigrants in the 1800s. These dance halls were the OG community centers that were the center of life for generations to come. What better way to embrace the musical history of the area than to create a Spotify playlist featuring songs about Texas and artists from Texas? Try scanning the top right code using your Spotify app!

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

The nomenclature of the streets are Texas-centric, with the New Home Gallery located at the intersection of Howdy/Folks and the future entertainment venue located at the intersection of Willie/Waylon. They’ll have a goat farm on-site and programming teaching our residents all about farming. What a fun way to celebrate the on-site goat farm…bring the goats into the marketing fun like this billboard or even the funny Spotify image on the previous slide with Willie Nelson as a goat?

Special Feature: Marketing Campaigns

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