Market Wisdom from Realogy Expansion Brands CMO Jennifer Marchetti

As the business world works to recenter itself in the wake of this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, innovative leadership will prove to be the most important competitive differentiator in the years to come. With this in mind, we reached out to Jennifer Marchetti, who is the Chief Marketing Officer for the Realogy Expansion Brands portfolio, including Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate and ERA®.

A recent interview I conducted with Sherry Chris also clued me to Marchetti’s team’s innovative “Corner Your Market” rebranding campaign won the Platinum Hermes Creative Award recently. Jennifer was also recognized in RISMedia’s 2021 Real Estate Newsmakers as a key influencer and thought leader. We had the chance to catch up with her recently. Here is the Q&A we had via email recently. 

RealtyBizNews: You are unique as a CMO in real estate managing two major brands. How do you "brand" Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate and ERA Real Estate individually?

Jennifer Marchetti: It is an honor to lead marketing teams that support two of the most iconic brands in the industry. With ERA Real Estate, the culture of collaboration and community has existed since its inception nearly 50 years ago. The ERA-affiliated broker/owners are invested in helping each other grow and helping their local communities thrive. We focus on celebrating that culture and dedication in our marketing. Our “Powered By” ERA flexible branding model is a game-changer in real estate. The Powered model is an option that enables companies to benefit from the resources, programs, tools, and technology we provide while retaining their local branding. We are attracting established local companies who are part of the fabric of their communities. They recognize that the marketing infrastructure we provide can propel their growth while staying true to their local identity. 

Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate was relatively new in the Realogy brand portfolio when I joined nearly 11 years ago. It is a privilege to serve this incredible network. BHGRE^® was the first brand in real estate to launch with a stated set of core values.  As real estate’s lifestyle brand, BHGRE is the only brand relevant 365 days a year in consumers’ lives. To have access to the foundation, channels, research, and consumers of the iconic Better Homes & Gardens^® media brand has been one of the most exciting opportunities of my marketing career. We have the unique opportunity to draft off that power and bring lifestyle to the forefront in real estate. Through our exclusive partnership with Meredith Corporation, the Better Homes & Gardens^® media brand owner, we can deliver impactful content, proprietary tools, and resources to empower our network to differentiate themselves in their local market.

RealtyBizNews: I love the two taglines: Expect Better^® for BHGRE and "Corner Your Market" for ERA Real Estate. How does each show itself from a marketing perspective? What refinements did it lead to?

Jennifer Marchetti: The BHGRE brand tagline “Expect Better^®” capitalizes on the Better Homes & Gardens^® name to make lasting connections with consumers based on trust. It is a promise to consumers that they can expect a better experience, better service, and a better outcome when they work with our affiliated brokers and agents. We connect with our clients through dynamic and engaging content based on the latest consumer research, thanks to our partnership with Meredith Corporation. Our visual identity conveys people enjoying a better life in their new home. With Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, consumers can expect a better service experience and guidance to live their best lives in their homes, which continues well after the transaction. 

When it comes to ERA Real Estate, we recognized an opportunity to emphasize the brand’s key differentiators, including empowering local real estate entrepreneurs and building strong community ties.

“Corner Your Market” has multiple levels of meaning. ERA Real Estate offers tools to help affiliated brokers and agents corner their local market because real estate is a local business. Real estate entrepreneurs help build communities, as well as help people build new lives as homeowners. Our mission is to ensure ERA brokers and agents are positioned to succeed and to grow. Everything we do at ERA is designed to help real estate entrepreneurs be more productive and successful. 

RealtyBizNews: BHGRE's PinPoint^SM direct marketing tool is one of the real estate industry’s most powerful marketing tools. Can you tell us how this tool helped BHGRE^® differentiate you from competitors?

Jennifer Marchetti: Our affiliated companies and agents highlight three major offerings as essential sources of benefit to their businesses. First, our social media presence and content machine are unique. We remain the only real estate brand that runs separate consumer and industry strategies. Second, the ability to personalize the Better Homes & Gardens^® magazine and other Meredith publications and share them with customers and prospective clients redefines traditional direct mail marketing and keeps them top of mind. But by far, PinPoint^SM is a favorite among affiliated companies and agents. We harness consumer data that Meredith compiles through their 175 million subscribers and web visitors. Agents can target potential buyers of listings, potential sellers, and clients through the power of big data and predictive analytics.  This has redefined how BHGRE agents and brokers can market both themselves and their listings and how they prospect.  The tool is so powerful, it works both locally and for feeder markets across the country.  Mass marketing at the local level can be costly and may miss the mark if not executed correctly or done in concert with other types of marketing. PinPoint^SM, which is so easy to use, is a robust and tailored approach that saves agents time, money, and energy while attracting the right people with the right message. 

RealtyBizNews: ERA is focusing on its community/hometown feel. How does that come to life? 

Jennifer Marchetti: I love what we are doing with our “Corner Your Market” campaign. The campaign underscores the importance of local expertise, understanding local market conditions, and the power of relationships built on years of community involvement.

Two key elements are used to bring these concepts to life.  A triangle in the corner of pieces is used to demonstrate that ERA helps you corner your market and is also ‘in your corner” as your partner. We also use a modern interpretation of a grid pattern to signify the local market or neighborhood because real estate is local. It also symbolizes the blueprint for real estate entrepreneurs’ successful futures, as well as the blueprint for a new life being a homeowner, can make possible. 

We developed a comprehensive suite of recruiting materials under the “Corner Your Market” theme, highlighting ERA’s approach to professional development. And on the consumer side, marketing materials present the agent as being in the client’s corner throughout the home buying or selling experience.