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Archstone Apartments, Photo Contest
 
 
 

Apartment owners continue to be impacted by recessionary factors that have driven up vacancy rates. Tenants are doubling up, renting a single room or moving in with relatives, and occupancies are down.

Outperforming the market, Archstone Apartments has honed in on the importance of brand differentiation and brand equity in a competitive market. Gaining the attention of prospective tenants requires a creative approach. Archstone and Idea Hall teamed up on a campaign to do just that.

"Live.Love.Archstone." is a new leasing campaign that debuted on February 1 to launch a photo contest soliciting images of what people love about where they live. The contest and its theme work in line with Archstone’s efforts to create communities and outreach to prospective residents.

This builds upon a successful series of resident appreciation events and leasing promotions that Archstone implemented throughout its 96 Western region properties in 2009.

Idea Hall developed an integrated plan to promote the photo contest that includes media relations, social media and advertising. The results have been immediate:

  • Media Relations: Our SMART News Release™ garnered more than 40 media placements with a total circulation of 22 million, an Ad Equivalency Value of $625,000 and $1.9 million in PR Value.

  • Social Media: The agency secured a Citysearch Los Angeles editor to serve as a photo contest judge and developed a mutually beneficial cross-promotional social media strategy to leverage the online city guide’s large audience. Additionally, Idea Hall is advising on Twitter and Facebook outreach to increase the value of Archstone’s own social media efforts.

  • Advertising: Idea Hall negotiated an ad buy with 12 radio stations across three markets and drafted a script for a 30-second ad (to broadcast on the radio stations' online streaming "airwaves") during the promotion.

More than 70 photos were entered in the first four days of the contest. All signs point to a successful campaign thus far, and we’re working on new ideas to further boost Archstone’s market presence.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
The Michelson, Integrated Marketing Campaign
 
 
 

Iconic office buildings require marketing collateral to match. The Emmes Group of Companies, owner of The Michelson, understands this all too well. Idea Hall has just delivered on three winning ideas that showcase the distinctive elements of the Class-A property.

First we presented a beautiful photo book featuring high-end images of the building to entice prospective tenants. We then linked The Michelson's sophisticated and fashionable appeal to its new web site, where visitors are treated to an interactive photo gallery.

Prospective tenants will be given a "key," a USB flash drive, providing exclusive access to a private Web site to unlock details about the building. Rounding out the promotional trio is a seven-page feature story in the February issue of Coast magazine.
 
 
 
 
 
 
American Red Cross, Social Media Marketing, Case-Study, Article

The American Red Cross relied on social media to raise more than $800,000 in the first 48 hours after the earthquake in Haiti – one text message at a time. A mobile fundraising campaign was set up immediately following the disaster that encouraged people to text the message "Haiti" to a number provided. This set into motion a one-time $10 donation that was applied to the donor’s next cell phone bill. The campaign went viral once word of it hit the social media channels Twitter and Facebook. The mobile campaign has raised more than $24 million for Haiti relief efforts thus far – that’s 2.4 million $10 donations!

Social media gives the global community a platform for unity and information sharing that has powerful impact in times of tragedy. Beyond fundraising, social media sites have become a portal for families around the world in search of missing loved ones. Even the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is using social media to monitor conditions. Upon reading a tweet about people buried under the Building Napolin on January 21, Homeland Security relayed the message to the State Department and a rescue team was sent.

The power of social media is that it can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. When a simple idea such as a $10 text can make a million dollar difference, it’s time to consider the many positive ways social media can be used.
 
 
 
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