Century 21 Pulls Plug on National TV Ads

(Boonton, NJ, March 16, 2009) — Century 21 was one of the first real estate brands to advertise on national TV. But in 2009, it pulled the plug on national TV ads. The move provides lessons for broker/owners large and small.

Century 21 has redeployed its $35 million national ad budget away from the brand building of TV ads and toward more targeted lead generation online.

In an article in the March 15 issue of industry newsletter Real Estate Broker's Insider, Bev Thorne, Century 21's senior vice president of marketing, calls the move a smart one at a time when nearly 90 percent of buyers start their searches online.

"We're really moving our advertising to the mediums that have the greatest impact on buyers and sellers," Thorne says.

She notes that the change in focus already is paying off. From 2007 to 2008, the volume of leads Century 21 generated online soared 237 percent, and its cost per qualified lead fell 62 percent.

So what about RE/MAX International, the biggest spender on national TV ads? The system continues its campaign. In fact, the company sees opportunity in Century 21's disappearance from the national advertising landscape. "RE/MAX agents don't have to choose between Internet and television," David Rea, RE/MAX's creative director tells Real Estate Broker's Insider. "They get both."

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