I am shocked at the sheer volume of charts, graphs and heat maps that try and focus consumers on the stats and appreciation trends in home buying and selling. Now, the dollars and cents and crime stats are all a part of the decision to buy a home, but its not the only or even most important reason. Why do people buy homes? Its for lifestyle. It’s personal.
There were two things I wanted more than anything growing up on the Jersey Shore in Ventnor, NJ: a new car and a house. My mom had an old Chevy Bel Air that was always breaking down. Dates were always a challenge when you are trying to impress a girl but didn’t know if the starter would work. We rented a series of apartments during my teens because the landlord(s) either sold the building, gave the apartment to their kid, hated our dog, or raised the rent to the point where we had to move. I never was able to paint my room a color other than “off white”. I couldn’t do anything in the backyard like plant a tree/shrub, put a swingset there, or even mow the lawn when the grass got too long. The kitchens were always “apartment grade.” Things always broke and you had to wait for the landlord to fix it, if they ever did.
Fast forward to today, and I’ve had the pleasure of working for two great companies that in a bizarre way, allowed me to get what I had been looking for all those years ago. For 15 years I worked for a car company, and got a new car every year. That was sweet! And now, I am the chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. And not only do I help our brokers and agents make home ownership possible for hundreds of thousands of people each year, we have just developed a new television campaign that I believe really hits at the heart of home ownership. And after the past four years of doom and gloom, we need a little heart right now. We have to get back to the “why” that people buy homes.
We have a :60 anthem (see below) that explains our unique view of the value of a home. The voice on the spot is the great Tom Selleck. Not only is he the star of the hit CBS series Blue Bloods (at Coldwell Banker, it is rumored, we bleed blue), and has a wonderful, trusting voice that adds a great texture to the commercial…but the backstory is even better. You see, Tom’s dad was a vice president at Coldwell Banker for 38 years, and he was the only member of his family that wasn’t in real estate…until now!
We also have a :30 spot on the Value of a Home, and three ;15 spots that talk about some of the things that make a house a home…Kids, Backyards and Pets. I can personally relate to all of them!
So 3 months ago, I bought a small, dumpy 2nd home down the shore, about 2 miles away from where I grew up in Ventnor. I never checked the crime stats. I briefly looked at the appreciation charts for this house and the neighborhood. I paid more attention to how many blocks away from the ocean it was and asked “would we walk or ride bikes to the beach in the summer?” Did it have a backyard for BBQ’s and hanging out? Was it close to a Starbucks and the local sub shop, Dino’s? Was it big enough to have tons of friends and family bunking up on long summer weekends? The price was good, the interest rate low and for a monthly payment that was the same as a car payment, it was a great deal. My Coldwell Banker agent, Bracken Markins, was great. I’m painting it now — any darn color I want. I’m fixing what needs to be fixed, and what I can’t fix, I “gotta guy” that can. My dog is welcome to be there anytime. I’m going to plant a tree. My kids will bring their kids here someday in the future. I’m going to fish in the bay A LOT. My wife and I will grow old there together.
That’s the value of my home. Share yours in the comments and take a look at our new TV ad below that we call “The Value of a Home.”
best add in a long time. Larry Carroll
Love love love the new advertisements!
Excellent Commercial Guys Great Job!
I have lived that AD in my own home for 32 years and yes, it is a GREAT ad.
Funny how things go around come around. My grandparents, my folks and most everyone I know who bought prior to the millennium bought a home to do the things this advertising campaign boasts and not to just have a commodity that would appreciate. Coldwell Banker hit a grand slam with this ad. Thank you for both the ad and for bringing out what reality should be.
Great job…
This ad pulls at your heart strings. The best I have ever seen for our industry. Thank you Coldwell Banker.
Great ad. Everyone knows it is a great time to buy, but need a reminder about what owning a home is really all about. Excellent!
This is what it’s all about! Bravo!
I LOVE the new ads. I saw them at Gen Blue and am so excited about this approach! Thank you!
LOVE IT! SO true.
I love the commercials that we saw during the closing session at Gen Blue. No BS Homes are all about family, friends and memories. Everyone needs one regardless of what the market is like at a particular moment.
Great job!!
I have felt that way about our own “home” for years and am glad to see someone else feels the same way !!
This is why I sell Real Estate. I could not be more pleased. Way to go Mike! Awesome!!
Love the ad. True blue memories.
Focusing on the WHY has been overlooked for far too many years since the burst of the bubble. We worried too much on dollars & cents and forgot all about the joys and memories that home ownership provide. Thank you for reminding us of the why. There’s no price tag you can place on the things owning a home can do for you.
You guys got it spot on!
This is so awesome! Love, Love, Love it!
Tom Selleck Commercial Value of a home is my Coldweel Banker favorite
Home run! Just today I was speaking with a buyer – she remembered that I had told her that rural properties are personal – that what appeals to her may not fit a “list”. Its a good time to evoke that personal conection.
Great ad and so right on! Owning a home is not just about the investment. Somewhere the idea of family, memories and smiles got lost. Thank you for bringing that forward to our clients.
Genius, creative, better & different, thoughtful, real life ad.
Both of my grandfathers had great real estate advice. My mom’s dad always said, “even if you don’t get what you paid for it, the life you lived while you were there is worth it.”. My dad’s dad was in the building supply business. Not only did he conduct the inspection for the first house I bought (by rapping his knuckles along the walls to make sure the studs were properly placed), but he said, “you can’t go wrong buying dirt.”
Coldwell Banker Always seems to find their way to the top of the industry. Usually it is in home sales, but this time it is in reminding people why we buy homes too!
This is the reason most people buy. Thanks for the great ad.
Now this gets to the real value and reasons why people buy a home and not just a house.
I love this ad! I loved it at GenBlue, and have probably watched it 10 times since! This spot is so dead on, it evokes the real reasons for buying a home!
Thanks for telling the story about the real value of a home
in a warm but focused way. Great job to all that were involved in building this
great ad campaign. Coldwell Banker continues to be the preferred real estate company.
Blessings.
What a great commercial! It says it all!
“We have to get back to the “why” that people buy homes.” I love that sentiment. I applaud your desire to move away from doom/gloom and “it’s a great time to buy”.
While I agree with the warm/fuzzy I believe there’s another big reason people *bought* homes: They viewed real estate as a safe, long-term investment. That safety is gone now. Sadly, in many cases, so is people’s savings, retirement plan, a legacy for their children, etc.
That said, I hope this hits the mark with your goals.
The true Value of a Home…very well done!
Hey Tal! Good to see you! How are you doing? I hope things are getting back to a more “normal” state,
Blessings,
bob pfister
The best is yet to come. The feeling in the room at Gen Blue was palpable when this commercial was introduced. Thousands of Coldwell Banker agents cheering and clapping wanting to see it again. This is exactly what America needs to remember that our home is where we write the best stories lives. Thanks Mike.
I Tweeted, FBook’d and LinkdIn right away. What a great,heatfelt message!
Wow…that brought tears to my eyes…a great spot.
my story is similar to Mike’s; my husband and I downsized from a beautiful 5,600 sq. ft. house in Vermont to a 900 sq. ft. home 3 blocks from Daytona Beach. We didn’t care about the “statistics” either and bought a forclosure directly across the street. We absolutely love the energy that is Daytona and soon will have the additional home for our guests to escape New England to; of course I would be happy to sell them their own beach house too! In summary, home is what you make it, and of course where “mom” is.
We love it here in Canada as well, it’s what it’s all about! Congratulations,
THIS is GREAT! FINALLY ads to give the “other guys” a run for their money!
I love it! Purchase a house and make it a home:) Good Job!!! I am proud to be a Coldwell Banker agent:)
This is a great series of images and and truly tells the story of owning a home. All of the experiences shown here have been a part of my family life in my home. It is a very impressive ad.
Wonderfully refreshing… period!
Brought tears to my eyes before I reached the half way point. It is just wonderful and should get the attention of anyone who is thinking about the word “home”. You are right on — “Home is Where the Heart is”. You have to love it. Thank you.
FINALLY!!!!!! You have gotten to the REAL reasons people buy homes! We have been frankly embarrassed for some time on the outdated ads. Thank you for getting rid of the old guys and the old messages. Maybe today’s buyers can actually relate to these kinds of ads. It’s Marketing 101–sell the benefits! How does it FEEL to be a homeowner? Keep it up, hope the others follow the same line.
[…] March 5, 2012 | Posted by mike_fischer […]
The Coldwell Banker team hits a home run they get it! Kudos well done
I love the ad, I love the message. Great work!
Why are tearing rolling down my cheeks as this video ended? Is it because I just came home from visiting my out of town daughter and it brought back pleasant reminders of her childhood? Is it the feeling that your home is your “haven” — the place we land after a long day unlike any other? I have been selling real estate with Coldwell Banker for over 10 years, worked for many buyers and this ad reminds me of why I have never tired of showing houses and being a part of the buyer’s experience. Thanks for showing me the privilege it is to be a part of this process as well as putting the focus where it should be for the buyer. You could not have said it better — “Coldwell Banker — where home begins”.
Veronica Dunn, Coldwell Banker Select, Reatlors, Erie, Pa.
Absolutely hits “home”. Fantastic. Love it!
Very good and so much sense.
[…] incredible. I feel this shows the real value of a place we all want to call “home”. The Value of a Home | Coldwell Banker Blue Matter. Share this:TwitterFacebookEmailLinkedInLike this:LikeBe the first to like this […]
I LOVE this and I believe that we should sell HOMES and not houses. This is a very special ad that will touch many hearts! Great job!!
I felt goose bumps. Love Love this commercial. I love being a Coldwell Banker agent. I am so proud of how well this commercial brings to light the real value of a home. Helping those gain home ownership is why I have stuck out the financial struggles of being in the business these last few years. I love what I do!
Out of all the challenges of the past few years we finally return to what our business has always been all about. What a great message in troubled times and Tom Selleck’s voice is the perfect tone and pace to make it all sink in. Congratulations Coldwell Banker, you truly know that “Home is Where the Heart is….”
Beautiful.
Great Ad. As I was watching it, it reminded me of my home. We moved in when I was 8 month pregnant with our daughter who is 17 now. We had all that. Kids in the neighborhood, neighborhood block parites, holiday parties with friends and family, many many birthday parties for many of the family members, and grandmas and grandpas visiting with grand kids….. It’s a story of a real people in real life….Thank you.
Real insight on how our service can make life easier and better. . Thanks.
A very good commercial. I get real sappy about all the memories created in my home. As a Coldwell
Banker agent, I enjoy helping families find a home that fits their lifestyle and improves the quality of their lives. Armarette Atkinson Dykes, Broker Associate, Coldwell Banker Security, Johnson City,
Tennessee
Sounds like HOME to me!!! Love Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC and the heart that comes with the Company…..thanks!!
Just one problem. It is from the perspective of a caucasian person/family only, and the reference to alcohol and lack of brown-skinned people makes your add look ridiculously outdated. You could have done better than that. Or do you not sell to Muslims and others who may not drink alcohol? One small mistake like this makes the company look mighty stupid. Sorry.
GREAT AD! from someone who has worked with C21 ERA & Colwell Banker Best Ad I’ve seen from any.
You’ve hit the heart of the matter! Great commercial…love being a part of the Coldwell Banker team.
You can’t say enough about the Commercial, it is what we are all about..great ad
I like this “Value of a Home” – Coldwell Banker marketing video.
I attended a CB meeting today where this was introduced by David Marine – who critiqued other real estate industry group ads, including that by National Association of Realtors.
Let’s remember that Realtor.org represents all Realtor members while promoting and protecting home ownership and private property owners.
An important and not to be overlooked aspect of real estate these days is distressed properties and what to do about foreclosures and short sales. The Realtor.org campaign is important I believe to inform members of the public that Realtors and their association are doing what they can at Washington D.C. and elsewhere to protect these values.
Bravo, I am so happy to belong to the Coldwell Banker. Me encantó
The ads are heartwarming but I think I am “missing it” from a marketing stand point. I can not sell a home based on someones sentimental value.. I feel like these ads are going to inflate the value of a home in someone’s mind and then I have to tell them — based on the comps– that their home is not worth that much. Now as for getting out there and buying a home …I see where you are going.. but still can’t embrace this direction.
I am so excited watching the new ads. They let us know that we sell homes and that is what makes the difference.
If only WHY would translate to a decent appraisal number!
My house is a small corner 1200 square foot rancher with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath and only a small attic and garage for storage. With two kids and me and my husband it sometimes gets a little tight, but we can afford it on one salary so I can stay home with my 11 month old daughter. My 6 year old son is in a great school district with great friends. We can afford to heat it and cool it and it has a great side yard that the kids can play in. The priceless part is we are always near one another in such a small place and we have made great memories here. There is a beautiful sunroom in the front that is the kids playroom and it helps heat the house on sunny winter days. We have some great neighbors and the interior (even though it’s a 50+ year old house) looks quite modern. For a first house we love it and when we do move so the kids can get there own bedrooms we will be sad to go but hopefully we’ll sell it to the next couple just starting out and wanting to make wonderful memories of their own.
Very relatable, really captured the meaning of home.
Awesome! I’ve been enjoying it on the tube. Can you run it MORE OFTEN!!!! It says it all.
That was awesome. The true value of having a home is to build happy memories, great bondings and enjoying the place with your family.
I saw this video just a couple of days ago at a conference in London. True to say, everyone with me – over 200 people – were blow away by it. Superb.
Lawrence, thanks for the comment! I would love to know what conference you were at and how the ad was positioned.
Matthew, CB has absolutely nailed it! From the time I saw the first spot in this series, I knew they had finally solved the puzzle. Builders and REALTORS hadn’t done electronic media right in years. Then this comes along. Thanks for getting prospective homeowners back on track as to why homeownership matters.
Terry Gearhart
Rose & Womble Realty
Virginia Beach, VA
Coldwell Banker gets an A+ for changing their message about how great Agents are to the real value the real reason people want to buy a home….lifestyle, living choices. Whether you love to have freinds over for dinner or just want to hang out in the peace and quiet of the woods on your deck the home is truly a person’s or family’s heart. It is the gathering place to make memories share the day, laugh and cry about whatever comes along in everybody’s life. This campaign is the best CB has ever had at the best possible timing as well. Congratulations!
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