08 Jul Case Study: Customer Experience Adventure!

pssst… have you heard?

Last week realtor.com launched a fabulously FUN consumer promotion–> A Mobile Treasure Hunt called #FindItFirst! You know me, I am all about Customer Experience + Fun, so this campaign immediately caught my attention.

Here is how it works: 1. download the app 2. follow twitter & FB for clues 3. find it & share to foundit@realtor.com (if you already have the app, just 2 and 3!) All this fun AND the chance to WIN the Airstream! (You may also RT like Dale…)

Seriously cool, right?? (Full Details)

Their Twitter stream lights up the second a “clue” is posted and fills up with fun tweets like this one from Meredith Pitt…

This is the first time realtor.com has launched a marketing campaign driven by social media (yay!). It also marks the first time (that I know of) any real estate brand has featured a “moveable listing”. What better way to showcase this listing, than to have a “moveable” home away from home? And let’s be real… is there a better, more recognizable brand than Airstream to partner with on a scavenger hunt? They are easily identifiable on the road with a cult-like following and their “cool” crosses generations!

{I still remember the first time I saw an Airstream… It was in Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time Music Video!}

When I spoke with Audie Chamberlain, the Director of Social Media Marketing for realtor.com, he was FIRED UP about the promotion and the entire team was having a blast! He shared:

“We saw an opportunity to do something that is not only fun and cool, but showcases some of the best features of our award-winning mobile apps. It would be easy to, let’s say, just give away an Airstream or a home for a “like” or a Tweet. But we decided early on to pour through the research, studies and user data we had available to us and find a need that is aligned with our business goals. We’re educating existing and new users through behavior in the app, tapping into mobile, social and, most importantly, the accuracy and timeliness that consumers have come to associate with realtor.com.”

Audie also shared some interesting metrics on two key questions:
1) Are people talking about the brand?
2) Is that resulting in the desired business outcome –
whether that is downloads, sales, page views, engagement, etc?

The Results
Their PTAT (People Talking About This) on Facebook has increased by over 600%¹ since the campaign went live and the social “share of voice” saw a week over-week increase of more than 37%²! It sounds like they are WELL on their way to hitting the goals on this campaign! (Excited to hear the final results!)

Besides the obvious social media engagement pop… this promo also highlights their MOBILE APP. Today, we know that more and more people are using their mobile devices to search for homes and this campaign introduces the app to new consumers while adding value to current users who may not have known the benefits of a home-search experience via a mobile app. It’s brilliant, really.

I also appreciated when they shared they did not do it ALONE. They partnered with an agency to help them create a buzz worthy campaign that the real estate industry has never seen… It is a great reminder that sometimes we need to step outside our own industry and get a fresh perspective!

If you have not had a chance to play along, it’s not too late. The fun continues DAILY until July 25th, so be sure to follow the @realtordotcom handle and give their Facebook Biz Page a LIKE for hints and conversations along the way… I will see you in the stream!

Happy Hunting!

Sources to back up their facts… ¹ Facebook Insights | ² Radian6