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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Purplebricks reboots ‘commisery’ campaign 

Purplebricks has launched a new advertising campaign that brings back its controversial “save yourself from commisery” slogan.

The new radio and TV adverts, created by creative agency SNAP LDN, aim to show situations where it is claimed a property would have easily sold anyway without having to spend thousands on commission.

The online agent’s campaign is designed to make consumers question whether they could make savings by assessing the quality and desirability of their home before using what it calls the “outdated high street approach.”

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The latest advert shows a couple celebrating their sale through a fictional agent called Cartwright and Robin before a neighbour comments: “No surprise you sold, you are near great schools, easy commute, you could have saved thousand if you used Purplebricks.”

Small print text then appears showing that the savings are based on an average agency commission of 1.3%.

The advert doesn’t mention that Purplebricks increased its pricing and removed its money-back guarantee earlier this year.

Ed Hughes, chief marketing officer at Purplebricks, said: “No sale, no fee isn’t a universal proposition that works for everyone.

“That’s especially true for those with a property that will attract a lot of clicks, viewings and offers.  

“This new campaign is aimed specifically at these types of owners, because choosing a traditional agent when you’ve got a sought-after property in a great area might be more accurately described as ‘will sell, big fee’. 

“The Purplebricks model is designed to provide an alternative for those that know they have a great seller and refuse to accept the myth that a big percentage paid at the end offers them any more certainty.”

Helena Marston, chief executive of Purplebricks, which has faced criticism over its tumbling share price and cash burn, said homeowners are still picking up the tab for traditional no sale, no fee agents who need big commissions to “prop up their expensive operations.”

She said: “Purplebricks offers movers a way to sell where they can keep more money for themselves and avoid having their natural home-selling anxiety preyed upon. 
 
“This campaign encourages owners of lovely homes to reconsider whether they truly need the outdated approach of the old high-street. Or whether they should join the thousands of confident sellers that have enjoyed a full-service agency experience from Purplebricks without paying commission.”

 Jon Boardman, chief executive at SNAP LDN, added: “Commisery was a gamechanger for Purplebricks, but it also had a profound effect on peoples’ pockets, saving their customers about £100m annually by avoiding typical commissions. 

“Now is the right time to bring back Commisery. We’ve created wonderfully playful but hard hitting work that reminds sellers of lovely homes, that you can sell your home quickly, at the right price and save thousands.”

The adverts will be aired during Masked Dancer on ITV, on ITV Sunday prime time detective series Karen Pirie and during Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins’ on Sunday night on Channel 4.

Football fans will also see it during BT Sport’s coverage of Saturday’s early kick off and top of the table clash between Arsenal and Spurs as well as when West Ham  play Wolves on Sky Sports.

Watch one of the adverts below:

  • Paul Singleton

    This is the same company that has a 1* rating on AllAgents for dreadful service from well over 400 reviews and pocketed over £18m in 2019 from vendors and then FAILED TO SELL their homes. That’s CONmisery!

  • Chris Arnold

    Not sure whether this is a deliberate attempt to waste as much of the cash reserves as possible, but it will certainly work.

    TV advertising isn't cost effective unless it's for a mass market - which Ed Hughes confirms isn't their target market.

    The band kept playing as the Titanic slowly slipped beneath the water.

    Algarve  Investor

    Taking the Liz Truss approach of carnage so the asset strippers can have a field day. Only logical explanation to such blindness. Reminds me of a football team buying back a player who wasn't that great first time in the hope they'll be better second time round. Never works well

     
  • icon

    One more last desperate throw of the dice to sucker in gullible homeowners by being derogatory towards the Estate Agent industry and again will become the nations most disliked agency leading to their eventual failure.

  • Algarve  Investor

    Desperation stuff from an increasingly desperate brand. Aren't PB to all intents and purposes a commission-based model themselves now, with the shift in model and price hikes? Aside from the message, the content of the ads were irritating, unfunny and cringey.

  • icon

    Excellent timing NOT, in a market that has lost 40% of mortgages so far this week, hence buyer demand will be nil for some time. Keep rolling the dice PB until it falls off the table and the bank account is empty.

  • Kristjan Byfield

    I loved the CEO comments about the fact us 'traditional agents' have to charge 'big fees' to cover our 'substantial overheads'- from a company that costs about £100m a year to run. Laughable. Given, also, how much their fee offering has changed since they first used 'commisery' not sure there is even a big win anymore in many parts of the country- and you might pay for nothing (especially as they have now pulled their, highly restrictive 'money back guarantee'). Blimey!
    PB could learn A LOT from the likes of The Modern House who, from day one, have set themselves out as NOT being Estate Agents- but without the animosity or condescention- and, also, without using fee pricing as the only real differentiator.

  • Welsh  Cynic

    Purple Bricks up to their old tricks, devaluing what is needed to sell properties at good prices and then get the sales through.

    They have picked a bad time to do this, the same as Putin bringing in conscription, desperation leading to final failure, but doing as much damage as they can on their way down,

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