Bringing Heart and Soul Back to Data-Driven Advertising: Insights from Dave Miles

Milesbrand President and Strategist, Dave Miles, recently took the stage at the Jeff Shore Sales and Marketing Leadership Summit in Nashville. In a breakout session titled “How to Bring the Heart and Soul Back into Data Driven Advertising,” Dave delved into the critical balance between data-driven insights and emotional storytelling in creating impactful marketing campaigns for the new home industry. This year marked the first year the summit had a dedicated marketing track, and the interest in the topic was apparent as it was a packed house!

In Dave’s session, which was introduced by Mollie Elkman of Group Two, Dave included six key elements:

1. Seek Unique. Communicate Consistently.
2. State the Problem to be Solved
3. Strategy
4. Key Benefits
5. Brand Promise
6. Creative Development

The Power of Communication

Dave began by emphasizing the importance of communication in marketing and advertising. While data provides invaluable insights, it’s how these insights are communicated that truly drives results. Effective communication is the bridge between data and action, making it important to be unique in both the way a brand communicates and what it’s communicating.

It's also equally important to be consistent in the communication, from the style and time of communication to the tone and voice – everything presented on behalf of a home builder or master-planned community should match the brand voice.

One of the ways Dave recommends being unique and impactful in communication is by appealing to buyers’ emotions – by creating an emotional connection. He challenged attendees to consider how their communications can evoke emotions, such as laughter, tears or nostalgia. By appealing to the heart, marketers can create campaigns that leave a lasting impression.

To illustrate this concept, Dave shared Milesbrand’s work with client Bridgewater Homes to promote new homes at The Aurora Highlands in Colorado. The campaign focused on creating a lifetime of memories in the home, using lines like Your home is like a book, with stories waiting to be written” and “Where the precious ordinary becomes the extraordinary.” By emphasizing the emotional benefits of homeownership, the campaign effectively communicated the brand’s value proposition.

Solve Your Customers’ Problems 

Another effective form of communication is to offer a solution to the most common problems your potential home buyers face when shopping for a new home. For example, one of the challenges many home buyers face in a crowded market is a sea of sameness. With minimal differentiation between builders, consumers often perceive the market as homogenous. This creates a hurdle for home builders looking to stand out from the competition.

Marketing strategies were discussed to reach target audiences with a home builder’s unique message, including the use of video on multiple mediums such as websites, landing pages, YouTube, CTV advertising, social media platforms and pre-roll video. Home builders should also utilize streaming audio, digital brochures to capture online leads and email marketing for both nurturing interest lists and acquiring new potential home buyers. All these strategies can help reach their target audience in an effective way – and reach them no matter where they are.

Strategy

The strategy defines the plan of attack, the big idea for a home builder or master-planned community, including the selling argument and how a problem will be solved. Dave described that to have an effective strategy, you have to have a compelling starting point which includes a distinctive point of view.

To illustrate an effective strategy, Dave shared the strategy for Southshore, which claimed the reservoir next door as its community amenity using the tagline, “Life at the Lake.” This effective rebranding of Southshore propelled the community to be the top selling community in Aurora, Colorado for multiple years.

Design elements were shared with the audience including the unique colorful typeface and original lifestyle photography capturing homeowners enjoying the lake:

• Paddle Out to Your New Backyard
• Make Everyday a Vacation Day
• It’s Not Just a Reservoir, It’s Your Lake

Share Your Key Benefits

Advertising should communicate the benefits that make your brand stand out from others, especially those that focus on emotions. Emotional benefits appeal to your customer’s heart, which is why they are the most powerful benefits to share.

To solve this problem for Milesbrand client True Homes, we focused on one of the builder’s key benefits that set them apart from the competition – their ability to offer personalization for every buyer. One of the builder’s ads showcased this by sharing a fancy coffee-based beverage with a super custom order: “I’ll have a venti skinny caramel ribbon one-pump half-caf oat milk macchiato extra whip double cup with legs.” The ad asked, if you can do this with a cup of coffee, why can’t you do it with a new home?

Think about some of the most popular advertisements. For example, a popular deodorant brand uses ads that make you think deodorants aren’t about keeping dry, but about helping you feel loved. Computers aren’t about getting more work done, they’re about power. A popular grocery chain shares how their products are the central component of your most important family gatherings. A new home isn’t about shelter, it’s about – what? What is your company or community’s key benefit?

Aligning Advertising with Your Brand Promise

A strong brand promise is the cornerstone of effective advertising. It serves as a compass, guiding your creative direction and ensuring consistency across all marketing efforts. A powerful brand promise differentiates your company or community, creating a sustainable competitive advantage. It also provides internal clarity and external positioning for your brand.

When evaluating your creative, consider how well it reflects your brand promise. Does it accurately convey the essence of your brand? Does it reinforce the mental associations you want to create in the minds of your target audience? By aligning your creative with your brand promise, you strengthen brand recognition and build trust with your customers.

Remember, your brand promise is more than just a tagline; it’s a strategic statement that should inform every aspect of your marketing, including your creative output.

Is Your Creative Cutting It?

Creating exceptional advertising requires a keen eye for what works. To determine if your creative truly hits the mark, ask yourself these critical questions:

• Is the creative on strategy? Does it align with your campaign’s core message and desired outcome? Does it invoke an emotional response, solve your buyer’s problem or share a key benefit that makes your homes, community or company distinct?
• Is it unique within the category? Does your creative stand out from the competition and capture attention?
• Are you proud of it? Does the creative resonate with you on a personal level while also reflecting your brand’s values?

Milesbrand’s Emotional Advertising Approach

Milesbrand’s approach to marketing aligns perfectly with Dave’s insights. Our team specializes in crafting compelling brand stories that resonate with homebuyers. By combining data-driven strategies with creative storytelling, we help our clients build strong, emotional connections with their target audience.

Dave Miles’ session at the Jeff Shore Sales and Marketing Leadership Summit provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of home builder marketing. By prioritizing emotional connection and leveraging data effectively, home builders can create advertising campaigns that not only inform but inspire.

Milesbrand is committed to helping home builders and developers stand out in a crowded market. Contact us today to learn how we can help you bring heart and soul to your advertising efforts.