Clearing title for the Jetsons
By Matt Carter, Tuesday, June 17, 2008.Wow -- who would think of marketing title/closing services with a cartoon ad on Sunday morning TV? Diane Cipa of Ligonier, Penn.-based The Closing Specialists says she's been doing it for years, so it must be working.
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Submitted by Diane Cipa on June 18, 2008 - 5:01am.
Morning, Matt. I was surprised to see this here. Thanks. It slays me that it took me this long to convert the commercial to a YOUTUBE. That was a big DUH. ;)
When we created The Closing Specialists in 2000, we did so with a marketing plan directed to consumers. It started with homes magazine ads talking about choice....."You choose your real estate agent, you choose your mortgage lender, why not choose your title agent?" - kinda stuff plus a friendly web site, a TV spot and the minicoopers.
Once we ran a homes mag ad with a retro cartoon couple kissing. The gist was that the consumer had more important things to do instead of driving to a closing. We were pitching our travel to close with no extra cost angle.
We couldn't believe the reaction to that ad and for some reason, I didn't keep a copy. It was extremely controversial. The entire real estate community in all of our 34 counties were debating whether or not it was lewd or too racy. It was a cartoon line drawing of two heads kissing! I was floored, especially when the Greater Pittsburgh Board of Realtors insisted that I change the graphic to a sailboat or they wouldn't run the ad. I refused. They didn't run it, we had a good chuckle and we got lots of name recognition. ;)
The retro commercial you see here is the third TV commercial we produced. We like it so much that we haven't changed it for years. I'm tickled it caught your eye.
Submitted by Matt Carter on June 18, 2008 - 10:12am.
Yes Diane -- the retro look was what caught my eye, and the idea that you can successfully advertise a service like title insurance/closing services on TV was something of a revelation.
I thought our readers might be interested in stealing your idea.
I think most of us are so inured to advertising (especially on TV) that you almost have to do something like this to get noticed. The reaction to your retro cartoon couple kissing ad is hilarious -- a sailboat? Exactly the kind of thing that registers in my mind as noise and gets ignored.
Submitted by Diane Cipa on June 18, 2008 - 12:15pm.
I've been trying to get people to steal my ideas for about 8 years. We'd all have a healthier market with consumers connecting to what we do. It's not rocket science, you just need to let go of a few layers of decorum.
Submitted by Ruth Ann Macklin on June 18, 2008 - 8:59pm.
This is one of the most creative ideas I have seen in a long time. What fun!! It got my creative juices flowing.
Submitted by Ned Carey on June 19, 2008 - 7:38pm.
You know I don't think I have seen ads for a title co before. But it is very important to have a good title co especially for an investor like me. Seems like more title companies should do it.
Ned Carey
http://baltimorerealestateinvestingblog.com/
Submitted by Rick Belben on June 23, 2008 - 7:51am.
Most title companies gear all there advertising to Brokers & Agents. This was a unique idea.
Rick Belben
Amerivest Realty of Central Florida
Orlando Real Estate
Orlando MLS
Submitted by Joe Cline on July 5, 2008 - 6:12pm.
Great commercial. Reminded me of those old drivers ed, sex ed, etc films we all used to have to watch. :)
Joe Cline
Austin Real Estate Blog | Blackhawk Real Estate, Pflugerville