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In early 2000, national online apartment guide Apartments.com and PR21 kicked off a search for the messiest college apartment in the U.S. with the first Apartments.com Messiest College Apartment Contest. The contest awarded $10,000 cash to the college student with the messiest apartment. The campaign’s primary objectives were to distinguish Apartments.com as the most visual online apartment guide and to creatively capture mindshare among target audiences. Created by PR21, the contest surpassed expectations. With only $63,000 and four months to implement this contest, PR21 placed more than 443 total print and broadcast hits for a total audience reach of 37,371,157. SITUATION ANALYSIS The online apartment guide market was becoming saturated with new players trying to capture renters and build market share. Apartments.com needed to distinguish itself as the most visual national apartment guide through key message placements across a wide-scale of media. In addition, Apartments.com needed to develop a creative publicity campaign to build mindshare with its target audience. PR21 created the Apartments.com Messiest College Apartment Contest to help Apartments.com meet its business needs. RESEARCH Competition A number of competing online apartment guides were sprouting up within the industry, including Rent Net, Springstreet and Apartment Guide. Although Apartments.com remained number two among the competition, it was necessary to make Apartments.com stand out within the marketplace to build even greater mindshare. AUDIENCE Apartments.com’s primary target audience is male and female college students, aged 18 to 24, who are looking to make the transition from college life to professional living. According to Jupiter Research, 92 percent of this demographic is the most ‘connected’ to the Internet of any other group, and ranked Apartments.com within the Top 10 sites visited annually. Messy Facts PR21 conducted research by consulting sources and reading waste trade magazines to develop the “Messy Fact Sheet,” a factual look at the habits and lifestyles of people and messiness. This fact sheet was used to give creative fodder to media in order to ‘hook’ reporters and encourage story placement. PLANNING Program Objectives To generate significant local and national media coverage of the contest and Apartments.com. To raise awareness of Apartments.com with college students - heavy Internet users who are looking to make the transition from college life to professional living - while conveying brand messages. Position Apartments.com as the most visual national apartment guide through key message placement across a wide-scale of media. Program Strategies Leverage a unique human interest story. Educate the media, through the Web site, about the highly visual capabilities of Apartments.com. Develop relationships with national media as well as media in areas in which Apartments.com has strong content. Offer compelling visuals through a video news release that can easily and quickly be used by broadcast media. Timing The contest needed to be implemented from idea conception to winner announcement in a four-month time frame. This was necessary to enable Apartments.com to announce the winner before the end of the school year, to reach graduating students, and by the beginning of moving season, the time of year in which most renters use resources such as Apartments.com. EXECUTION Program Tactics Executed by PR21 OBSTACLES From the time the concept was initiated, PR21 had only four months to execute, in order to reach students before the school year ended. In addition the $63,000 allocated budget did not include an advertising budget. PR21 learned in the course of the program that most college radio stations either do not have programming to support such announcements or were on hiatus due to exams, graduation and summer sessions. EVALUATION Media Goals Reached Exclusive winner announcement on Extra! Entertainment Magazine show Video News Release usage by 245 television stations. The story aired more than 283 times across the country with total viewership of 25,270,716. Radio tour on more than 47 stations across the country, with listenership of 5,047,400. More than 443 total print and broadcast hits for a total audience reach of 37,371,157. Qualitative Goals Reached Contest mentions: at least (1) in each story Messaging: at least 50% conveyed at least one brand message Brand Messaging: Apartments.com is a leading national online apartment guide Apartments.com represents 1 million apartments in 50 states and Washington, DC
Apartments.com offers the most detailed and visual apartment ads on the web
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