BEHIND

THE SCENES.

an unscripted + candid omnichannel storytelling campaign.

THE CLIENT

Watermark Retirement Communities® – nationwide
portfolio of more than 75 properties, including new
developments

The
brief.

Created a one-of-a-kind project honoring and celebrating senior living across America with a 360-degree series of candid, unscripted interviews that divulged behind-the-scenes moments of the lives of families, residents, community staff and professional partners.

Raised and changed the level of understanding about senior living through compassionate, compelling and powerful personal stories, never-before-seen video footage of community living during an unprecedented time and impactful portrait photography. Campaign involved television, social media, direct mail, print and digital ads and email marketing in 23 states, supporting more than 65 individual senior living communities all with separate websites and sales databases.

A campaign of this magnitude required a powerhouse photographer, so we curated and secured world-renowned celebrity portrait specialist Mark Seliger whose credits include Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone and numerous other magazines, as well as advertising campaigns for Adidas, Anheuser-Busch, Ray-Ban and many more. He is also the resident photographer for the Academy Awards, capturing all Oscar winners each year.

The
OBJECTIVE.

From architectural drawings to five thriving signature communities, effectively marketing an elevated senior living lifestyle through brand campaigns with a distinctive identity. The cosmopolitan lifestyle was showcased through beautiful spaces, world-class amenities, innovative resident programs and social interactions through a timeless, yet modern, approach to convey hospitality and luxurious services desired by the local markets.

By focusing a modern lens on this style of senior living and highlighting company innovation, the entire brand appealed to an ageless audience, with seniors and their stories at the heart of it all. The visual identity of the brand elevated and defined the brand experience through a muted color palette and the thoughtful use of negative space to create a clean and elegant design.

The strategic
approach.

Our omnichannel marketing tactic provided a seamless user experience across the buyer’s journey. We met consumers where they were through a microsite, email campaign, social media, direct mail and other traditional and digital channels. This resulted in true continuity and an integrated experience aligning messaging, goals, objectives and designs. Each prospect is in control of when and how to engage across multiple platforms, devices and interactions offered virtually and in person, successfully reaching both the senior prospect and adult child influencer intent-based audiences.

The
SERVICES.

Creative Concept | Logo Design | Visual Identity + Guidelines | Content Creation | Copywriting | Design | Videography | Photography | Project + Production Management | Website Design + Development | Printing + Publishing | Marketing Strategy + Execution | Direct Mail | Email Campaign | Campaign Strategy + Execution | Advertisement: Print + Digital + TV | Social Media Strategy + Management | Media Planning + Buying | Budget Managementz

the
deliverables.

MICROSITE.

robust to illustrate the short documentary, individual stories and portrait photography

LOGO.

clean, elegant design to speak to the cinematographic “behind the scenes” campaign

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY.

organized and directed the shoot by legendary photographer Mark Seliger to put a face to the real people living, working and relying on senior care and connect viewers to the safe, vibrant communities available

showcases a mix of serious and lighthearted moments, painting a genuine picture of senior living in all its beauty

SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM.

tells the stories through four different perspectives (residents, families, associates and professional partners), including a behind-the-scenes look at community living during the pandemic

shot in black and white to achieve a dramatic and timeless effect, similar to Mark Seliger’s notable photography

INDIVIDUAL VIDEO STORIES.

produced in black and white to mirror the campaign’s film and photographs that delved deeper into the stories of each character in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic

DIGITAL ADVERTISING.

static display in the most effective sizes and 15-, 30- and 60-second video teasers on various online platforms highlighting the individuals and their story

PRINT PUBLICATION ADVERTISING.

various ads using portrait photography, impactful pullout quotes and strong call to action placed in dozens of publications around the U.S.

EMAIL CAMPAIGN.

template featuring an embedded video to seamlessly send weekly emails over three months highlighting a new individual story each time

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN.

weekly native posts and ongoing paid ads for a full sweep of online opportunities, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube

showcases a mix of serious and lighthearted moments, painting a genuine picture of senior living in all its beauty

DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN.

triple-panel postcards highlighting individual stories mailed bimonthly to the communities’ databases, as well as age and income-qualified purchased lists

shot in black and white to achieve a dramatic and timeless effect, similar to Mark Seliger’s notable photography

TV COMMERCIALS.

engaging 30-second spots featuring individual resident, family and staff stories broadcast on a collection of channels in select metro markets targeting both the senior prospects and their adult child influencers