I was a bit unimpressed with the line up of Super Bowl ads this year. I did think the Jerry Seinfeld ad for the NSX was very funny. But the “Its halftime in America” ad featuring Clint Eastwood was by far my favorite. It literally gave me chills. See below if you missed it.
There was a bit of buzz in the industry when Century 21 announced that they too were going to run an ad during the Super Bowl. At the best I would call the ad “cute“, but at least they were investing in their agents and for that I appauld them.
If I were going to do an ad I would position Century 21 as the real estate company that is going to lead this country out of the real estate crisis. A lofty goal? Yes, but done correctly it would position Century 21 agents as the brand to help rebuild the American Dream. To me that’s “Bolder”.
Here’s the ad. The narrator would be Morgan Freedman (of course!). He would be reading a poem adapted from “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley.
OUTSIDE.
The sun is rising, its morning.
INT. A car is driving through a neighborhood. Views of houses going by thru the windshield.
NARRATOR BEGINS SPEAKING
“An old man had a habit of early morning walks on the beach. One day, after a storm, he saw a human figure in the distance moving like a dancer. As he came closer he saw that it was a young woman and she was not dancing but was reaching down to the sand, picking up a starfish and very gently throwing them into the ocean.
Images of Century 21 agents putting up signs for an open house. Getting stuff out of their trunk. Preparing a house.
”Young lady,” he asked, “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”
The young lady replied, “The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in they will die.”
Images of Century 21 agents meeting with buyers, showing property. Kids running up stairs and down hallways.
“But young lady, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly make a difference.”
The young woman listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves,
Images of Century 21 agents shaking hands with young families.
saying, “It made a difference for that one.“
The old man looked at the young woman inquisitively and thought about what she had done. Inspired, he joined her in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
Image of thousands of Century 21 agents walking (wearing gold jackets?) along the shore hurling starfish towards the ocean.
Fade to Century 21 logo.
END
Put that in your pipe and smoke it Parsippany.
