Miller Homes launches TV ad in Scotland

Following on from the positive impact of Miller Homes’ pilot TV campaign in the North East of England, the award winning house builder is now about to launch a TV campaign in Scotland, starting Monday 31 August.

The focus behind Miller’s first TV advertising campaign challenges the negative press surrounding the housing sector with a renewed message of confidence, aptly entitled: ‘The Optimist’.

The proof of the pudding is always in the eating and with the campaign in the North East now fully digested, as the advert ran in mid-June, the outcome is extremely positive with national web registrations in the period increasing from an average daily rate by 69%.

The crux of the TV ad serves to underline that Miller Homes’ successful shared equity initiative - MiWay, which continues to reap rewards for the company and its customers by helping them either get on or move up the property ladder.

Since MiWay was launched in July 2008, in Scotland alone this initiative has secured over 190 reservations. The success of MiWay has doubtless contributed to the company as a whole delivering 30% ahead of predicted volumes for its half year.

Having been in the business 75-years, the UK’s largest family owned house builder is a seasoned player when it comes to dealing with the peaks and troughs of the housing industry.

Part of Miller’s success is that the company has always been at the forefront of devising and implementing new marketing strategies to meet the shifting demands of the industry, ranging from traditional methods such as DM and press advertising, to 21st century methods that include virtual neighbourhoods on the website, SMS texting, twitter and blogging – the TV campaign the latest instrument in a well stocked promotional armoury.

Anne Marie Britton, regional sales director for Miller Homes Scotland (Ltd), comments, “Even for a company of our longevity and expertise, the last 18 months have probably been the most challenging periods of recent times. The outcome is that the property market has been permanently changed, but what really tests you as a business is how you rise to the challenge and adapt to the change.”

“With so many buyers struggling to meet the strict lending criteria and the large deposits mortgage providers were and continue to impose, Miller Homes introduced MiWay. We effectively provide our customers with a 25% loan, and we are now seeing the positive impact of this initiative through an impressive number of reservations.

"As an established name in the business, we know people have confidence in our brand and product, but what we want our TV campaign to do is drive our message of optimism far and wide, and show that our business remains a secure choice for clients regardless of the obstacles.”

The TV campaign is voiced by actor Max Beasley and will run in Scotland for three weeks. It’s generically positive message aims to a wide house buying audience, from first time buyers to those in rental accommodation wanting to get a first foot on the property ladder or those looking to move up to larger family homes. Supporting marketing activity will include radio versions of the TV ad, online advertising and email and MS campaigns.

Under MiWay, homebuyers only have to arrange a 75% mortgage with the remaining 25% provided in the form of a loan from Miller Homes. With MiWay, buyers own 100% of their property from the outset, and the loan is only payable after ten years or when the property is sold, whichever comes first, with the owner simply paying back 25% of their home’s market value at that time.

For further information on all Miller Homes’ current developments in Scotland, visit millerhomes.co.uk.