Inhabit by Corcoran

We sat down with The Corcoran Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Christina Panos, to discuss the inspiration — and the impact — of this indelible campaign.

When the first ads in the Corcoran brand’s Live Who You Are campaign debuted back in 2004, they did something remarkable: They reminded consumers that the true goal of the real estate experience wasn’t buying a home — it was being home, living with ease and authenticity in the comfort of your own space. It’s a philosophy that continues to be the call to arms for the Corcoran brand and its affiliates.

In 2018, the brand’s Live Who You Are ads inspired a new campaign, one no less radical in an industry for which advertising still typically meant property listings and agent headshots: Be Home. This slice-of-life campaign now boasts more than a dozen 30-second spots and indelible print ads, each one witty, warm, and wholly relatable. And a new set of Be Home ads, rolling out this month, is no different.

Be Home brings something different to the real estate marketing landscape. What gave you the idea?

At Corcoran, we believe that to be home is to live who you are. A place to be relaxed, spontaneous, inspired — connected with the people who matter most. The Be Home campaign gives us an opportunity to express this core belief by telling human stories — small, sweet, unguarded moments at home, people in their safe places, revealing and sharing their very best selves. Most of the moments featured are inspired by stories of everyday life experienced by members of our creative team.

What is it about Corcoran that makes Be Home really click?

I think Be Home clicks because people can see themselves in the campaign. There’s a special alchemy in our storytelling, from the warmth we express to our choice of music, that touches people. Ironically, there’s very little emotion portrayed in real estate advertising, even though it’s a human-to-human business that revolves around fulfilling people’s dreams and helping them create a home. Be Home stands out because no other campaign in this industry gets to the heart of what this business is all about. We want to celebrate home, honor individuality, and connect with people about the joy of being home.

The Corcoran brand now has more than a dozen Be Home spots running across its markets. How do you feel the series has changed people’s ideas about real estate advertising?

We’re not looking to change anyone’s ideas about real estate advertising. We’re just hoping to connect with people, and for them to understand that Corcoran and its agents appreciate the importance of home and that we’d be privileged to help them on their search to find a new home. We hope that people see the campaign and that it touches them in some way because they can relate to it. I grew up loving commercials and can still think of the ones that made me feel something — Coca Cola’s “Hilltop” ad, Budweiser’s “Wassup,” Monster.com’s “When I grow up” — and I knew that there was a space the real estate business to talk about buying and selling homes in a more thoughtful, personal, and sophisticated way.

The concept of home – and being home – has many definitions. What does Be Home manage to distill about home that allows the campaign to resonate with consumers again and again, in big cities, small towns, and resort communities? 

Be Home hits on universal truths about the importance of home and the human desire to create a home that is a reflection of the self. This is a borderless notion that people can relate to whether they are in New York City or Houston, Texas, in a blue state or red state, in a five-bedroom or a fifth-floor walk-up apartment. And this is why the campaign has been embraced in every city in which Corcoran lives. We are not looking to speak to a certain kind of person or lifestyle, but to anyone who is looking to find a home where they can live who they are.

Learn more about the Corcoran brand