Orren Pickell - The Concept House

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The Concept House

Challenge:

In 2008, Orren Pickell Designers & Builders, one of Chicagoland’s finest suburban homebuilders, purchased over 30 acres of land on Chicago’s exclusive North Shore to build a development of nine luxurious, custom homes. The development featured one extraordinary concept house, The Scottish Manor. Winger was charged with promoting The Scottish Manor during a devastating real estate slump. Generating buzz and visibility was key to securing sales and maintaining Pickell’s upstanding reputation.

Our Solution:

In order to maximize exposure of the home Winger partnered with a powerful third party, Chicago Home+Garden magazine.
Winger recommended and implemented a strategic advertising campaign targeting affluent clients, whose buying power typically holds steady in slumps, particularly for luxury or second homes.
An aggressive public relations initiative garnered local and national recognition for the firm and the new development.
To celebrate the grand opening of the highly anticipated concept house in the development, Winger planned an extraordinary party at the home, subsidized by Pickell’s vendors.
While many of the real estate reporters continue to highlight the dismal state of the market, Winger developed unique stories about the home to ensure publication.

Results:

The Scottish Manor, the “model” home of the development, was named Chicago Magazine and Chicago Home + Garden’s 2008 Showhouse. Along with the coveted title and association with two of Chicago’s most notable publications, Winger secured an impressive spread in the magazine which highlighted every facet of the house.
After receiving coverage in several local publications, the grand opening party drew nearly 700 attendees anxious to get a first look at the home.
On the home’s opening weekend, 500 people toured the home.
Prominent feature stories were written about The Scottish Manor in key media outlets including Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, Pioneer Press, Custom Builder, and more.
Three plots on the nine plot development have since been sold.