Campaign still for 15 Renwick property created by March IF Studies
Real estate brokerage firm CORE is taking an unorthodox approach to marketing a new building in the Hudson Square neighborhood of New York.
Although real estate purchases are arguably the most important commercial choices a consumer can make, real estate marketing tends to follow a dry and formulaic approach. CORE sought to break away from this format by creating a campaign that resembles something closer to what a fashion brand might produce.
“I wanted to capture the attention and imagination of our buyer and set the appropriate creative tone for the project,” said Shaun Osher, founder and CEO of CORE, New York.
“There are a number of generic projects on the market right now, but this one is particularly unique, so I wanted to send a message that was aligned with 15 Renwick,” he said.
“This is a neighborhood filled with creative people, thanks to companies like Saatchi & Saatchi, Weinstein, Miramax, Tribeca Film Institute, New York Magazine, Splashlight Studios, Adidas and others who are based in the area.”
Finding history
Core was tasked with generating interest for a new building, developed by IGI-USA, in Hudson Square that enters the market in the fall. Fifteen Renwick is a 31-unit building that includes townhomes, penthouses and 2- and 3-bedroom apartments.
Other features of the building include 8-foot windows, walnut flooring, Bosh washer and dryers, HVAC and more. Amenities include a fitness center, 24-hour butler, roofdeck, “zen” garden and onsite storage.
Normally, a brokerage firm would post images and videos of the property’s many perks and call it a day. CORE, however, decided to go beyond the basics, and dug around in the location’s history.
The architect James Renwick, who designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral and many other structures, lived on the street that now bears his name with his family in the late 1700s.
CORE then enlisted portrait photographer Henry Leutwyler to interpret this fact. The photographer came up with a series of 15 portraits that suffuse stuffy aristocracy with a bright and visceral contemporary feel to create a jarring mix.
Print ads for the campaign will run in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, New York magazine, Beach magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, Surface, The Hollywood Reporter and others.
Real estate trades will carry digital versions, along with The New York Times, Monocole, Fast Company, Wallpaper and Cool Hunting.
Shifting priorities
Neighborhoods throughout New York that have traditionally remained less visible are now gaining attention.
For instance, new luxury development projects in the NoMad, north of Madison Square Park, district of Manhattan indicate that the once-overlooked neighborhood is on the rise as other areas become squeezed.
Real estate firm CORE recently closed sales for the residential condo 241 Fifth, commanding prices ranging from $820,000 to $10 million. Not to diminish the potential of other neighborhoods in the city, CORE also wrapped up sales further up Fifth Avenue for the property One Museum Mile on the same day (see story).
“As a company, we consistently take the approach that no two buildings, buyers, or projects are ever the same, so we work on our marketing strategies tailored for the specific project,” Mr. Osher said.
“We work towards creating a campaign that feels natural to the building and its future owners,” he said.