2025 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

The hamlet of Ardrossan has never been known as anything other than the sleepy little town outside of Sherwood Park, Alberta. Most people who know where Ardrossan is on a map live in the nearby neighbourhoods of Sherwood Park. However, thanks to the client (a not-so-classic land developer), this little hamlet had gotten a recent makeover and was ready for the Edmonton region to notice it nally — and seriously consider it as a place to call home.

This brings them to the heart of the challenge: the population surge in Alberta — particularly in Edmonton — over the past few years. At the same time, home prices in Sherwood Park have skyrocketed due to demand, leaving many with no choice but to look elsewhere. And that’s where the hamlet of Ardrossan comes in.

The key insight was that living in Ardrossan is like flying first class at an economy price — captured in a simple idea: living large for less than a pittance in “The Kingdom of Ardrossan”.

In order to sell the hamlet of Ardrossan, they had to make it stand out from the rest of the many new neighbourhoods and developments all over the Edmonton region. Lucky for them, the agency knew exactly who to sell to. The audience insights led them to their creative execution that pays off the value proposition of “more for less.”

People who grow up in Sherwood Park like to stay in Sherwood Park. It’s known as ‘the bubble’ to many in the Edmonton region, with all you could ever need within its suburbs. It’s got lower taxes than Edmonton, and all the conveniences outside of downtown.

However, the people who once could afford to live here are struggling to stay or buy a new home, given the demand. Some were left in their big homes as empty nesters and needed a place to downsize, but didn’t want to give up the equity they built in their home just to buy a smaller home for the same price. Some were young couples who wanted to start a family but knew they couldn’t afford the dream Sherwood Park home to raise their kids in.

Knowing the nearby neighbourhood needed another option (that was still nice and close to home), they decided to be hyper-targeted with their campaign. They targeted new families and downsizers in and around Sherwood Park.

The agency went medieval with their creative approach in an effort to stand out. After all, Ardrossan is a hamlet named after a Scottish castle next to a neighboring town of Sherwood… and you can get all the riches of nearby Sherwood Park for a mere pittance.

Ardrossan offers all the same amenities you’d find in other new developments around Edmonton, but the price is more affordable, the homes allow for bigger lots and more garages, and it’s a shorter commute to downtown than living in some other parts of Edmonton. The creative captured the attention of their audience and got people talking almost immediately. They were able to break out of the sea of “work, live, play” with “workth, liveth, playth” among other head-turning executions.

Their hypertargeted approach led them to advertising in all the major recreation centres in Sherwood Park, on buses that commute to and from Edmonton, and strategically-placed billboards along popular
commuter routes.

In addition to the brand’s out-of-home presence, the agency used hypertargeted digital media to retarget anyone who had visited Ardrossan, one of the Sherwood Park rec centres, home and garden shows, family festivals, and more. They ran their hero spot in the Sherwood Park Cineplex as well as connected TV placements. They even earned some media with CBC online, as well as the local publication, Edify, as the best new community.

As part of their campaign efforts, the brand hosted a long table feast in the back yards of their showhomes. They invited the mayor of Strathcona County (Sherwood Park and Ardrossan), members of the media, content creators and real estate professionals out to dine under the stars with the king from the campaign. The outdoor event provided an opportunity to view all the showhomes and take in all that Ardrossan
has to offer.

Understanding the value proposition of Ardrossan married with the uniqueness of those people who live in Sherwood Park was key. They had to be hyper-focused on where these people spent their time, and found them along the way to remind them of the opportunity in Ardrossan. For many, they had to re-introduce Ardrossan given its growth and development over the years, it was no longer that sleepy little town they once knew. Keeping the medieval theme alive, while touting the RTBs, was essential to driving results for the client.

The campaign exceeded expectations — home sales doubled, demand surged, and a new development phase broke ground ahead of schedule. While the agency successfully delivered 34 million impressions (in a town of 75K), their results back the home sales with a 518% increase in Google searches for “Ardrossan” as well as a 300% increase in website traffic year-over-year.

It’s safe to say that Ardrossan was cemented as a top choice for homebuyers in the Sherwood Park area.

Credits

Paulina Van Vliet- Art Director
Dennis Lenarduzzi - Creative Director
Kelby Zdrill - Strategy, Director of Client Services
Nikki Howell - Production Coordinator
Devyn Pierog - Account Coordinator
Chris Brodt - Designer
Arielle Demchuk - Copywriter
Isabella Janiszewski - Account Coordinator
Morgan Gold - Photographer
Quinn Cyrankiewicz - Radio Production
Justin Archer - Partner
Morgan Gold - Director/Producer