River’s Edge is an innovative residential development by Canada Lands Company set on the banks of the Vedder River in Chilliwack, BC. The award-winning developer needed an equally innovative approach to driving awareness and sales.

Casting a Vision

The vision for River’s Edge is a compelling one – green streets on your doorstep instead of cars, prime access to the most extensive trail network in the region and premium design and build standards that will combine to create a truly unique and desirable community. But how do you give potential buyers a taste of final product during multiple phases of construction and development?

Taste and See

A video-driven digital strategy was developed for River’s Edge to augment traditional sales and media tactics. 57% of consumer web traffic is spent watching online videos, so the opportunity to connect with potential buyers using video was significant.

Compelling Brand

Like any building project, we had to start with the foundation: a brand that evoked the heart and soul of River’s Edge. A new logo, tagline and visual standards told the story of a community that is “Naturally Connected.”
Emotional Storytelling

Then we needed to bring a community under construction to life. A lifestyle photo and video shoot captured the experience of River’s Edge with emotional visuals of people connecting with nature and each other. Expert interviews with the architects helped cast the vision.
Website Wow

People spend 88% more time on a website with video than without, so we created a stunning video-rich website that features video content on nearly every page.
Video Advertising

Geographically and demographically targeted YouTube pre-roll ads and Facebook newsfeed ads were designed to create a compelling first-impression of the community.
Mixing it Up

In addition to video advertising, traditional media including print and outdoor billboards were used to drive mass awareness.
Tools of the Trade

Signage, brochure and sales materials rounded out the marketing toolkit for builders and real estate agents to use on an ongoing basis.

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online leads per month
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increase in website traffic triggered by online advertising
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view rate on pre-roll video ads

Selling Fast

For Canada Lands success is two-pronged: Canada Lands needs to sell lots to builders and then builders need to sell homes to the public. Both objectives have been met with success. For Canada Lands, Phase 2 lots are already 70% sold and builders in Phase 1 are quickly selling homes. The online advertising is driving monthly leads to the builders bringing a steady stream of buyers.

How are buyers hearing about River’s Edge?

34% online advertising (video advertising and online real estate properties)
31% through pre-existing connections/word of mouth
20% print and outdoor advertising/signage

Results are in the details

An overview video interviewed architects and developers to give potential buyers a comprehensive vision of River’s Edge. The material was also re-cut for a series of shorter one minute videos used throughout the website.