Century 21 System Launches New Consumer Marketing Campaign

Business Wire, March 3, 2008

Programs offer broad support to increase agent resources and provide relevant tools to help consumers better navigate the home buying and selling process

PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- Century 21 Real Estate LLC, franchisor of the world's largest residential real estate sales organization, today announced a new national marketing campaign aimed at helping consumers better understand how CENTURY 21[R] agents are positioned to help consumers address the difficult home buying and selling process. Demonstrating a clear understanding of what consumers need most in today's housing and economic environment, the new campaign focuses on the benefits uniquely offered by the CENTURY 21 brand and the experience of the CENTURY 21 agent. The 2008 campaign, which launches today, features new advertising, appealing and category-leading interactive elements, local market advertising support and a high-profile partnership with an iconic American designer.

At the heart of the campaign is a profound shift in the way the company positions its attributes with customers and agent stakeholders. Century 21 Real Estate LLC directly addresses the needs consumers have when buying or selling a home in this time of consumer uncertainty.

"Now more than ever, it's imperative that consumers have a trusted partner in the selling and buying of their homes," said Bev Thorne, senior vice president of marketing for Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "CENTURY 21 agents are uniquely trained and enabled to use industry-leading technology and deep-seeded knowledge of their local communities to help people find the path to their dream home."

National Advertising Campaign

The CENTURY 21 System's 2008 advertising creative underscores the importance of owning a home to all consumers, and speaks to the emotional side of finding the right home. It emphasizes the unique abilities of the CENTURY 21 agents and brokers to help consumers avoid the pitfalls of a potentially cumbersome process, and focuses on helping people navigate complicated financial and real estate regulations. Utilizing animation as the medium, consumers will see CENTURY 21 agents guiding people along the path to their new front door.

"We wanted a campaign that speaks to the impact CENTURY 21 agents have on their clients," said Gordon Bowen, chief creative officer of McGarry Bowen. "Real estate is not just about the transaction; it's truly about the valued partnership between the local agent and their client," said Thorne. "It's about the CENTURY 21 agent's abilities to not only find a home, but to help consumers navigate the process so that they can stay in the home for as long as they like."

The advertising spots were created for broadcast and will run on national cable and network outlets. Titled "Path Home," "Internet Listing Guru" and "Open House," the spots will run in 15- and 30-second formats. To complement the broadcast advertising, the CENTURY 21 System has developed radio advertising as well.

Web-based Initiatives

In addition to the TV and radio media, CENTURY 21 System promotional efforts are focused on the Internet as well with web banners in the same look and feel of the advertising campaign. According to the National Association of Realtors, 73% of homebuyers use the Internet as an information source when searching for a new home. To continue providing unparalleled service to its clients, no matter how they choose to interact with the CENTURY 21 System, the company will launch a re-designed look and navigation experience for www.century21.com this Spring.

Local Market Tools

The CENTURY 21 System is focusing its marketing communications on bolstering consumer confidence by helping them understand that CENTURY 21 brokers and agents are professional champions with unmatched qualifications to provide much needed guidance in an uncertain time.

"We've refreshed, contemporized and modernized key marketing vehicles, like our yard signs, business cards, our Web site and other communication vehicles, to more accurately reflect the things that are integral to everything that we do," said Thorne. "We want consumers to easily distinguish our brokers and agents as the professional champions that they are - refreshing these tools just made sense."

CENTURY 21 Gold Jacket

With more than 35 years of history, the iconic CENTURY 21 Gold Jacket has long served to provide consumers with a gold standard promise of top notch service and reliability in the complex world of real estate. This year, the CENTURY 21 System is proud to announce a partnership with Geoffrey Beene to provide the first designer-labeled Gold Jackets for CENTURY 21 agents, updating and contemporizing this apparel icon.

"The first course of action I took when I joined the CENTURY 21 System in 1982 was to don a Gold Jacket," said Tom Kunz, President and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate. "I believe that the jacket sets CENTURY 21 agents apart from the crowd and creates a walking business card that is instantly recognized by consumers across the country."

Consumers often mention that the Gold Jacket is a true CENTURY 21 brand identifier and the company is proud to refresh the look, feel and usability of the jacket for today's agent. Further, the CENTURY 21 System will contribute $5 to Easter Seals for every Geoffrey Beene gold jacket sold.