Category: Acquisitions
Advertiser: HSB
Product/Service: HOUSING COOPERATIVE
Agency: WELCOM
Account Director: Ulrika Brinkenberg (Welcom)
Copywriter: Niclas Hallgren (Welcom)
Art Director: Andreas Larsson (Welcom)
Creative Director: Jonas Sjövall (Welcom)
Account Manager: Anna Rosenqvist (Welcom)
Final Art: Marie Backhall (Welcom)
Senior Public Relations Consultant: Peter Wennö (Welcom)
Communication Consultant: Johan Lindgren (Welcom)
Media placement: Event - Nordstan, Gothenburg - 10 February 2012
Describe the brief/objective of the direct campaign.
HSB is Sweden’s oldest housing co-operative. The majority of buyers are families and senior citizens who have sold their houses. Normally, that´s not a problem. But the global economic situation has led to a much harsher climate in the housing market and a sharp fall in the number of people attending apartment viewings. So HSB must reach out to new customer groups and has responded with a new type of apartment. Smart layout and equipment have made it possible to choose a smaller apartment without sacrificing the quality of lifestyle. How do we explain this to people who are not familiar with HSB and its pioneering work in area-efficient living?
Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective with reference to the projected response rates and desired outcome.
If people won’t come to the viewing, then the viewing must come to the people. HSB has built a prototype of its new-style apartment in Nordstan, Northern Europe’s largest shopping centre. Through social media, 2 actors were recruited, and they lived in the apartment for 2 days. They gave a live commentary on their experience on Twitter, and Skyped with young people all over the world who were also living in a limited space. To show just how big and well-planned a small apartment can be, we invited a Marching Band, Sweden’s leading sports robots and the Spinn Dance Company to try their space-demanding activities in the apartment.
Explain why the creative execution was relevant to the product or service.
We wanted to reach people who are not familiar with HSB and its work in area-efficient living, people who don´t attend apartment viewings – young couples and singles in the 20-30 age group. A good way to reach the target group and let them experience the apartment was to build a prototype of HSB new-style apartment in Northern Europe’s largest shopping centre. To make it easier for them to ‘see themself in the apartment’, we let 2 people live in it. To show just how big and well-planned a small apartment can be, we invited associations and clubs to try their space-demanding activities in the apartment. The word spread via social media.
Describe the results in as much detail as possible with particular reference to the RESPONSE of the target audience including deliverability statistics, response rates, click throughs, sales cost per response, relationships built and overall return on investment.
220 actors applied for the job, and were keen to live in the apartment.
The target was to reach 30 prospects…
3 apartments were sold during the event and 60 people expressed real interest in a new apartment.
A whole new target group was reached: immigrants and second-generation Swedes.