Zillow’s New Advertisements Spotlight Two Sides Of The Transferring Journey
Following the 2021 Mover Report, Zillow launched the new To Move Is To Grow digital advertising campaign highlighting the emotional journeys of a homeowner weighing the risks of selling and a little girl moving into a new home . The ads will air on Wednesday with prime time placements on NBC as well as spots on HGTV, ESPN, Hulu, YouTube and Facebook.
“Moving is by nature about moving forward – letting go of the past and embracing the next chapter of life,” said Aimee Johnson, Zillow’s chief marketing officer, in a prepared statement. “Our research shows that more than 75 percent of recent moving companies have been held back by emotional factors such as fear of change. However, 80 percent of them said their recent move paid off.”
The first ad, “Susans,” shows the inner hopes and doubts of Susan, a homeowner who is considering putting her home on the market. Susan introduces herself as the CEO, who leads a board meeting with a number of other Susans who all represent their feelings for the sale.
Negative Susan immediately examines the idea while Spontaneous Susan starts ordering curtains for the new home. Antisocial Susan is cautious when it comes to meeting new neighbors, and Lazy Susan would rather sleep. Eventually, Helpful Susan steps in and convinces CEO Susan to begin her home selling and buying journey with Zillow.
The next ad, The Journey, takes inspiration from Where the Wild Things and tells the story of a little girl who sees her moving experience as a mystical story full of mystery and danger.
After sailing away from her old home, crossing mountains and walking mist-filled streets, she settles in a dark cave and says resignedly, “I think that’s it.” But when she is awakened by a friendly greeting from a new neighbor the cave turns into her actual new bedroom when she finally feels at home.
The ads were shot in New York City and Prague, respectively, with director Jim Jenkins leading the New York team and director Martin De Thurah leading the Prague team. Johnson said both ads were filmed under strict COVID-19 guidelines, with agency and client teams monitoring the process remotely from London, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.
“While it is sometimes difficult to change a life, [moving] can bring tremendous hope, opportunity, and excitement, ”added Johnson. “Zillow has the services and expertise to guide every step of the process. This can make these big decisions easier and give people more confidence to move forward.”
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