Challenge
Tishman Speyer’s luxury condo development The Infinity was set to release its second residential tower in February 2009, in the midst of an economic recession and a floundering housing market. LCI faced the challenge of differentiating The Infinity from other properties and securing media coverage and buyer interest while combating the pessimism surrounding the real estate market.
Strategy
To generate buzz and media coverage prior to the public release of The Infinity’s Tower II, LCI hosted a ‘Sneak Peek’ event at The Infinity. LCI gave media the opportunity to see and experience the luxury homes firsthand and get an exclusive first look at an unfinished 42nd-floor penthouse, furnished model homes, and upgraded amenities spaces. To enhance news value, LCI tied the ‘Sneak Peek’ event to the hurting real estate market and positioned The Infinity as an atypical success story. LCI used The Infinity’s impressive sales statistics – the highest sales absorption in San Francisco and the fastest-selling large-scale condominium project in California – as proof points. Finally, LCI leveraged The Infinity’s architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia as a big-name ‘starchitect’ lead the tour of the development. Fort-Brescia’s role provided extra incentive for architecture/design and lifestyle media, who were offered the rare opportunity to conduct one-on-one interviews with the Miami-based architect.
LCI, Tishman Speyer and The Mark Company conducted national market research to confirm The Infinity as the United States’ fastest selling large-scale residential development. LCI announced this news nationally, tying it to the sell out of The Infinity’s 365-unit Tower I, to help The Infinity close out its remaining homes in Tower II.
Results
LCI’s proactive media relations efforts resulted in feature coverage in key outlets, including Reuters, Wall Street Journal, KGO-TV (local ABC affiliate), KNTV-TV (local NBC affiliate), KCBS-AM radio, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, 7×7, San Francisco Business Times and real estate blogs SocketSite and CurbedSF. In total, broadcast coverage generated 449,215 impressions.
Media positioned The Infinity as a uniquely successful development, moving forward when other developments were struggling or halting construction. Interviews with Carl Shannon of Tishman Speyer and architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia produced sound bites highlighting The Infinity’s great location, value, amenities and design.
LCI’s Real Estate PR campaign helped The Infinity become the fastest-selling large-scale residential development in the country and nearly selling out all available units. The Infinity’s sales velocity far outpaced other large-scale condominium developments in major markets across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Seattle.