Berkeley Group this week became the first housebuilder to launch a television advertising campaign since Barratt in the 1980s.
But unlike Barratt’s campaign, which featured a thrusting executive dictating a hard sell to the viewer from a helicopter racing over a housing development, Berkeley has opted for a more gentle approach.
“For the first time,” explained a helpful Berkeley press release, “the drama, style and production values of car and sports advertising have been brought to property marketing in order to support the consumer and demonstrate change in lifestyle attitude.”
The £1.5m campaign entitled “My Berkeley” features a series of characters enjoying their Berkeley homes in a montage set to ambient new age music.
Timed to coincide with the company’s results, due out on 27 June, the ads will run for four weeks. Tony K Pidgley, Berkeley Homes managing director, said that the company had decided to embark on the campaign after its research found that 70% of house buyers don’t consider buying a new home.
