On the heels of its 2021 Mover Report, Zillow has launched “To Move Is To Grow,” a new digital ad campaign highlighting the emotional journeys of a homeowner weighing the risks of selling and a little girl moving to a new home. The ads will begin airing Wednesday with primetime placements on NBC alongside spots on HGTV, ESPN, Hulu, YouTube and Facebook.
“Moving is inherently about moving forward – letting go of the past and embracing life’s next chapter,” Zillow Chief Marketing Officer Aimee Johnson said in a prepared statement. “Our research shows more than 75 percent of recent movers were held back by emotional factors such as a fear of change, yet 80 percent of them said their most recent move was worth it.”
The first ad, “Susans,” illustrates the inner hopes and doubts of Susan, a homeowner who is considering placing her home on the market. Susan imagines herself as a CEO leading a board meeting with a series of other Susans, who all represent her feelings about selling.
Negative Susan immediately vetoes the idea, while Spontaneous Susan begins ordering drapes for the new home. Anti-social Susan is wary about meeting new neighbors and Lazy Susan would rather sleep. Finally, Helpful Susan chimes in and convinces CEO Susan to begin her homeselling and homebuying journey with Zillow.
The next ad “The Journey,” draws inspiration from Where the Wild Things Are to tell the story of a little girl who sees her moving experience as a mystical tale filled with mystery and danger.
After sailing away from her old home, traversing mountains and walking down fog-filled streets, she settles into a dark cave with a resigned, “I guess this is it.” But as she’s awakened by a friendly greeting from a new neighbor, the cave transforms into her actual new bedroom as she finally feels at home.
The ads were filmed in New York City and Prague, respectively, with director Jim Jenkins leading the New York City team and director Martin De Thurah leading the Prague team. Johnson said both ads were filmed using strict COVID-19 guidelines with agency and client teams supervising the process remotely from London, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.
“While it is sometimes hard to make a life change, [moving] can bring tremendous hope, possibility and excitement,” Johnson added. “Zillow has the services, and expertise to navigate every step of the process, which can make those big decisions easier and give people more confidence to move forward.”