The National Association of Realtors got major commercial placement in the latest episode of ABC’s Modern Family. Phil Dunphy, the character played by actor Ty Burrell, wore an official Realtor pin. Those familiar with the show already know Phil as the hardworking real estate agent in the Los Angeles suburb, but now they know he is an official Realtor.
The concept, similar to the push C.A.R. has made with its new commercial campaign stressing the importance of a Realtor, revolves around Phil explaining the difference between a real estate agent and Realtor. As pin-wearing Realtor’s already know, one must be a member of NAR and operate under a specific code of ethics in order to boast such a title.
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The show is no stranger to creative advertising. In an episode that aired in 2013, Modern Family used Phil Dunphy’s bus bench advertisements from the show to promote Modern Family. The show’s co-creator, Steven Levitan, told The Wall Street Journal that it was important to not make the Realtor placement seem like a commercial spot arbitrarily placed into the show.
“We look at things like this to make sure they’re organic and this one felt like it could be very, very organic and put in easily into the show,” Levitan told the WSJ.
The brand integration, aside from placement in the show, will include multiple 15- and 30-second videos for TV and digital media outlets showing Phil helping and informing people about how Realtors are valuable. The push is part of NAR’s “Get Realtor” campaign that started in February. The aim, the press release says, is to impart the value of Realtors onto the millennial demographic.