CountryWide. A New Level.
Repositioning and Rebranding.
Research into CountryWide's perceived value in York Region indicated that homebuyers recognized them as a superior brand in terms of quality, finishes and the overall perception of the product, even when reselling.
A complete repositioning and rebranding effort took advantage of this positive impression. The strategy determined that CountryWide should assume a more corporate approach, because whilst communities fade away over time, the brand lives on. And in the case of a market downturn, brand awareness and overall perception would act as differentiators to keep sales at a comfortable pace.
This effort resulted in the development of the Strategic Marketing Positioning Book and the Corporate Style Guide. Together, they establish a new mission, vision, brand values and visual guidelines to make the company more appealing to a buyer looking for a premium offering.
The new slogan can be translated as affordable luxury quality, unmatched designs and masterfully-planned communities. On the emotional side, it means A New Level of achievements, expectations, and special moments – a perfect home that is the perfect stage for a successful and fulfilling life.
A campaign released the concept “A New Level” as the brand's rallying cry, including Digital Ads, Social Media Videos, Billboards and Magazine Ads. It presented a warmer way to communicate with customers in order to increase brand awareness throughout the entire GTA, to then create convergence to CountryWide's new website.

Web Banners / Google Display Ads

3 different billboards.

4 different magazine ads.

One of the hottest trends in Social Media during 2016-2017 were Youtorial Videos. Channels like Tasty and Nifty became incredibly popular with DIY food, craft, and makeup content. The commercials mimic this how-to videos to avoid the "skip the ad" option. And the stories expand on what comes after - why you wanted that recipe in the first place. They present the ingredients for a happier life.
Results
Sometimes, success cannot be measured only in numbers. Building a brand doesn't happen overnight. This was the beginning of a long-term new vision for CountryWide, more aligned with customers' expectations while promoting a positive corporate message. Yet, this pure brand messaging performed well when it comes to driving traffic and registrations.
- 331,457 video visualizations on Social Media in one month.
- 9,440 new registrations on the new website coming uniquely from corporate sources after only 4 months live.
- The average number of recurring users increased by 10%, new users by 11%, and sessions by 7% (the number of interactions a user does on the website during a certain period).
- Average time spent on CountryWide's website, per user, estimated around 4 minutes.
- The Communities page saw an increase in new users of 305%, and upcoming communities performed significantly better, ranging from an increase of at least 25% to an incredible 730% in some cases.
AGENCY: NGEN
CLIENT: CountryWide
YEAR: 2016-2017
STRATEGISTS: Joe Grasso, Mike Reneau, Victor Schmidlin
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Victor Schmidlin
ART DIRECTION: Victor Schmidlin, Laura Miller, Gildie Nazari, Tamara Buki
COPYWRITERS: Victor Schmidlin, Mike Ciani
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