PHOTO: C21 Australia Real Estate brand. C21
Bank in 2018 a marketing image from the C21 Australia Real Estate brand gained attention on Facebook, sparking comparisons to the iconic image of Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.
Acknowledging my background in marketing and branding, I decided to conduct some informal market research. Eager to gather opinions from non-real estate professionals, I posted the ad in a local Facebook group of mostly savvy women from various industries in and around New York City.
Their reactions were intriguing. Initially, they assumed it was for Century 21, a retail clothing and fashion chain in the tri-state area, and they found it impressive. The allure of the image was attributed to the age-old marketing principle that sex sells, especially in the realm of fashion.
However, when I clarified that it was actually for Century 21 Australia, a real estate brand, their responses shifted. While they saw the connection within the fashion industry, they noted a certain disconnect when applied to marketing a real estate company. Apparently, the term “sexy” isn’t the first descriptor that most clients associate with their real estate agents (ouch!).
One woman focused on the term “relentless,” interpreting it as a message that C21 would work tirelessly to facilitate home buying and selling. The image suggested the woman in the ad, presumably the agent, would be in control of her own destiny.
Alternatively, she questioned whether the message conveyed that female agents are perceived as relentless, strong, and sexy, prompting the question of whether clients should hire an agent from this company for those qualities.
Someone in the group suggested that the image reflected “commodity feminism,” a concept where feminist ideas and icons are co-opted for commercial purposes, stripped of their political significance, and presented in a commodified form, often in advertising.
What are your thoughts?
Considering it from a commodity feminism perspective, one woman admitted she felt mostly indifferent about the ad, perhaps experiencing a sense of fatigue associated with such commodification.
Another participant admired the visuals but confessed she wouldn’t have deduced the product being sold if I hadn’t provided context. This perspective seemed fair, considering the ongoing rebranding efforts of the overall C21 brand that may not have fully resonated with the general public yet.
SOURCE: INMAN