Buy a House, Or The Dog Gets It

Posted by Joel Burslem on Friday, November 3, 2006 Filed Under: Advertising

Matrix gives a great run down on NAR’s new advertising campaign.The key issue in the ad is as follows:

Don’t Delay: This is the closing point of the ad and its main goal – create a sense of urgency when none currently exists.

Personally, the ad doesn’t do much for me. The headline seems out of touch and a little condescending. Design-wise, yawn. The visual element doesn’t support the message. It’s a great time to buy a house… but yet it looks like it’s grey and rainy (read depressing) in the photo. You’d think they could have sprung for a little color.

Maybe NAR should have taken its cue from National Lampoon. Now that’s a sense of urgency.

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4 Comment(s)

Jonathan Dalton | Nov 3, 2006 | Reply

I use my beagle, Tobey in all of my marketing. Trust me when I say that I’ve been sorely tempted to use something similar now and again.

Instead I settled for silly costumes where Tobey’s only wishing for death.

I maintain Lampoon had one of the greatest marketing ideas in history with that cover … glad to see someone else feels the same and found the pic!!!
Melissa | Nov 3, 2006 | Reply

So true! Great comparison to some advertsising that really works.
anon | Nov 3, 2006 | Reply

Yawwwwwwn. This had to be done In-House. What self respecting agency would sign off on this? Boring clip-artish over filtered image, Lame Headline, entirely too much copy. The call to action is, “Don’t Delay” ? How original.

This shift in focus brings to mind that Cell Phone commercial that lampoons the fast talking Realtor telling one caller it’s a seller’s market and another caller it’s a buyer’s market all in the span of 30 seconds.

The whole tone of the ad seems a little condescending to me. Consumers are smarter than ever. According to NAR 80% of the customer base has access to the Internet and they aren’t afraid to use it. I guess they didn’t realize that the same 80% are also armed with the greatest bullshit detector in the world too.
Toby | Nov 4, 2006 | Reply

Real estate agents telling you it is a great time to buy — Well then I must run right out and do it. This is akin to a Marlboro time declaring it’s a perfect time for a smoke.

I’m glad they did something, but this is barely above northing.

A full page ad: $1000
Designing it yourself and getting zero return: stupid as hell.