Zillow’s online New York real estate search facility, StreetEasy, understands that buying a home in NYC feels difficult to reach. Much like a work of art. While StreetEasy helps to simplify the complicated and stressful process, Mother New York, is demonstrating StreetEasy’s expertise in the area, demonstrating the brand’s grasp of the drama buyers feel.
That all is all achieved by Mother New York with a series of seven “works of art” in Renaissance style, created with artistic partner, Buck. Let The Journey Begin dramatises seven key milestones of the buyer’s journey – from the moment of deciding whether to renew a lease, to the search across the five boroughs with an expert agent at the helm, to the moment of getting the keys and becoming your own landlord. Each piece of artwork contains Easter eggs only New Yorkers will recognise, including Dan Smith Will Teach You Guitar and Leh-Boy, emphasising StreetEasy’s history of drawing wit and humour from the real experiences of New Yorkers in its campaigns.
“Buying a home is challenging anywhere, but especially so in New York City, where the process is also longer and more costly. Not only is it a big financial investment, but it’s also a deeply personal and emotional life event,” stated Bridget Sullivan, head of integrated marketing at StreetEasy. “It was important for us to bring to life a campaign that captured the comprehensiveness of the buyer’s journey, including the many ups and downs, trials and tribulations that are the reality of embarking on the complex journey in this market specifically.”
“Advertising to New Yorkers is an interesting creative challenge. On one hand, you have a population capable of tuning out almost anything. On the other hand, you have a savvy audience who can appreciate a clever ad that speaks to their experiences, which StreetEasy certainly has a track record of doing,” added Nedal Ahmed, executive creative director at Mother New York. “Let The Journey Begin touches on a uniquely New York problem and does it in a style that will stand out in the city’s sea of distractions.”
The ads are running on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest and YouTube, plus MTA subway cars and taxi tops. In April, they will also appear in the Broadway/Lafayette subway stop, along with hand-painted murals at Wythe and N. 14th Streets in Williamsburg and Spring and Lafayette Streets in Nolita.
Credits
Client: Zillow (StreetEasy)
Creative Director: Jason Ferguson
Head of Marketing: Bridget Sullivan
Marketing Managers: Andrea Mazandi & James Monderine
Marketing Zillow: Brett Wilds, Maddy Wasmer & Heidi Elsokary
Creatives: Bea Miller, Sean Ryan, Fiona Lin & Alex Greco
Marketing StreetEasy: Dylan Lyons, Elena Lathrop
Creative Agency: Mother In The USA