It's been 14 years since C.A.R. launched its first consumer advertising campaign aimed at home buyers and sellers reinforcing the value of using a REALTOR®.  After focus groups revealed consumers' negative perception of real estate agents in the mid-1990s, C.A.R. launched the award-winning "Real Estate Is Our LifeTM" advertising blitz, which included magazine ads, radio spots, and television commercials.

The campaign was an immediate success, winning a "Telly Award" for its outstanding television commercials and significantly improving consumers' recognition of the difference between REALTORS® and licensees.  Its broad appeal did not go unnoticed by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR), and in 1998, NAR's board of directors adopted the "Real Estate Is Our LifeTM" campaign as its own nationwide public awareness campaign.

As NAR rolled out television ads across the nation, C.A.R. continued to leverage the campaign's momentum, expanding efforts in California to target Hispanic home buyers and sellers. In 1999, C.A.R. translated several of the "Real Estate Is Our LifeTM" television commercials into Spanish, and they subsequently appeared on Spanish-language UNIVISION station affiliates throughout the state. Additionally, Spanish versions of the campaign's magazine ads and radio spots were made available for local associations to run in their own communities.  

Also in 1999, C.A.R. launched a new online component to its campaign, placing more than eight million banners on the Web to help reach the state's web-savvy consumers and drive traffic to the Association's  "California Living Network" website. 

In 2003, C.A.R. refreshed its consumer advertising efforts with a new message: "REALTOR®--The Most Important Title in Real Estate."  Through humorous radio commercials, the $1.4 Million radio campaign emphasized that consumers have a choice when selecting an agent to represent them when they're buying or selling a home, that REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics, and that consumers are more likely to get results when working with a California REALTOR®.

Results from a post-campaign survey measuring consumers' receptivity to the "REALTOR®--The Most Important Title in Real Estate" campaign and their attitude toward REALTORS® recorded the first appreciable, significant improvement in recall of and appreciation for the REALTOR® designation in the 12 years C.A.R. had conducted consumer market research. The success of the "REALTOR®--The Most Important Title in Real Estate" campaign continued through 2005 and 2006.

In 2008, the Association launched a bold, new theme for its consumer advertising campaign: "California REALTORS®. Your Peace of Mind."  It was the Association's most expansive consumer advertising campaign since 1997 and included new radio commercials, online components, search engine marketing, and customizable collateral materials that members were able to use in their own marketing efforts. The theme was modified to “Your Piece of California. Your Peace of Mind” the following year and achieved substantial consumer recognition by the end of 2010.

In developing the direction for the 2011 consumer advertising campaign, C.A.R. recognized the increased challenges California consumers have faced for the past couple of years, and saw an opportunity to let consumers speak directly to consumers. The 2011 campaign showcases testimonials from real California home buyers who achieved their dreams of homeownership by working with REALTORS®. The theme “Champions of Home” reflects the nerve-calming aspects, the obstacle-busting qualities, and overall value that California REALTORS® offer buyers and sellers. The 2011 consumer advertising campaign, “California REALTORS®. Champions of Home,” reinforces the perception that a REALTOR® is a consumer’s best resource in the home-buying or -selling process. 
The campaign also has an impressive reach, and may be seen and heard on TV, radio, online, and in the social media sphere. The new television ads may be seen during relevant home- buying/selling programming on cable networks such as A&E, HGTV, and Bravo. Ten- and 15-second traffic reads will air in radio markets statewide during prime drive times. And contextual web banners placed on popular websites such as REALTOR.com® and Trulia.com will drive consumers to a microsite, www.championsofhome.com. 

Additionally, a robust social media component provides visibility for the campaign in previously untapped channels. A focused blogger outreach plan, numerous planned “Twitter Chats” with real estate professionals and legal counsel, and a Facebook application are expected to create viral buzz for the campaign. 

Since 1997, when C.A.R. launched its first advertising campaign, consumer awareness of the REALTOR® brand and the need to use a REALTOR® has increased significantly. This year's new consumer advertising campaign will continue to build on past successes by communicating directly with consumers about the added value and peace of mind they receive by working with a REALTOR® when buying or selling a home.