Uncommon New York’s Dream Home hero commercial for the National Association of REALTORS (NAR), doesn’t grab attention because it is provocative, or offbeat or absurdly humorous. Even 2.19 minutes long, it holds you because it is the probably the most human film you’ll see this year. It’s the story of the dream that a first home triggers. From first swatch of paint on a wall as young homeowners to first grandchild. It’s a reassuring dream with a realtor as its guardian.
The campaign was created to reinforce the importance of working with a member of NAR, by reaffirming the value of their expertise and experience. (So note, the momentary eleventh-hour crisis and its rapid solution.)
Dream Home is part of NAR’s overarching 2025 campaign platform, Right by you, which is built on the idea that REALTORS often protect their clients throughout the real estate journey, especially for first time home buyers who are most vulnerable to the pitfalls of inexperience.
It was prefaced by the humorous ad, Don’t DIY, that tapped into the ignorance and overconfidence of residential and commercial first time buyers and dramatised how overwhelming it would be to buy or lease a property alone.
Dream Home, directed by the master of emotion, French director, Frederic Planchin, brings to life instead the deeply personal home buying process that is steeped in emotion.
From a craft perspective, the film required 60 shots, resulting in 26 hours of footage, with 17 complete set dressing turnovers to reflect changes in time period. There were 21 cast members needed to represent aging and evolution, 16 extras, 76 outfits, a minimum of 5 hours of prosthetic application each day…and 4 dogs.
“Dream Home speaks directly to the real experiences of first-time buyers today, making the REALTOR® brand more relatable and resonant with consumers,” stated Karen Bebart, NAR’s director of consumer strategy & brand advertising. “It is a REALTOR, a member of NAR, who literally steps in to bring her clients back to reality so that their dream of home ownership doesn’t stay a dream. Together, both concepts, Don’t DIY and Dream Home, are well-balanced, with varied yet equally emotional stories demonstrating how REALTORS help protect their clients, every step of the way.”
Katie DiNardo and Kelley Barrett, senior creatives at Uncommon New York, added, “For buyers, the dream of home ownership is often stressful and emotional, and that over-excitement may lead some to overlook risks or make impulsive decisions. With Dream Home our goal was to bring this tension to life in a resonant way, and to celebrate the ways in which a home evolves with and sustains its owners throughout life’s ups and downs.”
The full campaign will live cover national broadcast and streaming platforms in the US, radio and audio. Additionally, a library of turnkey campaign assets was developed and made available to REALTORS to use and extend the campaign’s messaging in a consistent manner.
