• by Tanya Gazdik , April 25, 2018

Realtor.com is reacting to the competitive housing market with its largest brand campaign to date.

The campaign aims to reassure buyers their wants can be a reality with Realtor.com. It marks a significant departure from the brand’s previous ad campaigns, according to the company.

It was created by Pereira & O’Dell New York in collaboration with Andrew Strickman, Realtor.com^’s head of brand and chief creative.

Themed “The Home of Home Search” it will debut during the premiere of “The Handmaid’s Tale” of which the brand is the exclusive real estate sponsor. It is part of the brand’s video-first strategy. The campaign also includes unique digital, audio, and out-of-home content. Realtor.com’s new digital media agency of record, Crossmedia, has been working for months to design the brand’s most expansive digital plan.

The effort ultimately includes 12 “warm and funny” TV spots, the first of which are "Privacy,""Square Footage" and "Two-Car Garage." Each delivers the single-minded message: buyers need the brand’s website to find their must-have home features.

The launch spots will be joined by “Takeout,” “Dog,” “Guest Room” and “Summer” as the campaign rolls out to traditional media partners including ABC, NBC, CBS, HGTV, Bravo and will appear during American Idol, Rise, 60 Minutes, Survivor and the NBA Playoffs.

The campaign focuses on the core of what the company does, said Realtor.com Chief Executive Officer Ryan O’Hara.

“In nearly every market, buyers are facing low inventory, higher prices and rising interest rates, and it’s never been more important to have the right home search site,” O’Hara said in a release. “With more MLS-listed for-sale home listings that update in real-time throughout the day, it’s imperative that home shoppers know not all real estate search sites are the same.”

The campaign is the next step in the evolution of the brand, said Realtor.com CMO Nate Johnson.

“After five years of campaigns that have been extremely effective in bringing our brand awareness to all-time highs, we’ve refined our strategy to focus on educating people on why Realtor.com exists – helping people find the home of their dreams,” Johnson said in a release. “There is no better site for serious home buyers and we are constantly evolving our experience to make it easier to find whatever it is you want in a home."