Zoopla uses property price blushes to present itself as the solution for the curious
Zoopla has positioned itself as the antidote to the stigma surrounding enquiring what other people have paid for their homes by dramatizing the awkward moment someone broaches property prices during inappropriate social situations.
Zoopla revels in buyer blushes by dramatizing the vulgarity of property prodding
Created by Lucky Generals, the campaign illustrates the perils of ‘casual research’ into what friends and family are paying for their homes at the most inopportune moments, such as a child’s birthday party.
In another spot a group comforting a recent divorcee provides further opportunity for maximum cringe, as a toe-curling exchange plays out when sympathy gives way to indirect probing as to the value of the former marital home.
By reveling in the discomfort created by asking “How much did you pay for it?” the campaign portrays the mortified silences and stomach-churning awkwardness that comes with delving into the private financial affairs of those around you.
Both ads close with the line, “If you want to know, just ask Zoopla,” reminding audiences that their social standing can remain unblemished if they merely conduct an online search.
Gary Bramall, chief marketing officer at Zoopla, said: “Talking property isn’t always easy, and in this latest campaign we’ve tapped into everyday awkward moments, where those moments could have been avoided simply by visiting Zoopla.”
Ed Cole, creative director at Lucky Generals, added: “Who hasn’t gone to someone’s house and thought, ‘Wow, I wonder how much this is worth?’ Using Zoopla’s tools, you can now avoid making things awkward at a kid’s party or rubbing salt in your recently-divorced mate’s wounds by just checking on Zoopla.”
Two radio ads will dovetail with the television commercials, as well as three out-of-home (OOH) designs that place the viewer in the role of an over-inquisitive property obsessive.
Zoopla has sought to marry the rational facts and figures of home-buying with the emotional weight attached to the place we called home for its post-pandemic marketing.