Award winning housebuilder, Miller Homes has added another trophy to its extensive cabinet by scooping the accolade for the ‘Best Communications Campaign’ at ‘The Herald Property Forum and Awards 2009’.
The company, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, recently attended the ceremony at Glasgow’s Radisson Hotel, along with 250 guests, and won for its hugely successful MiWay shared equity initiative. Introduced in July 2008, MiWay seeks to assist buyers to either get on or move up the property ladder by sharing the financial burden many experience when buying a new home, particularly in the current climate.
Sue Warwick, National Sales and Marketing Director, “This award is a great achievement in what has been a particularly turbulent two years for the housing industry, and is testament to the outstanding efforts of all at Miller Homes. An event such as this not only enables us to share the accomplishments of our peers, but puts the industry back in the spotlight in a positive way by highlighting our key achievements as a whole over the last year. From our own perspective, we feel we are turning a corner and Miller Homes is looking towards the start of 2010 with renewed confidence.”
Miller Homes spread its MiWay message through an integrated campaign covering online, TV, SMS and media relations, which resulted in a 120% increase in website registration for the company UK-wide.
Initially, the company developed a series of online advertisements found on websites including GSPC, ESPC, Gumtree, Rightmove, Smart New Homes, Facebook, and various press publications. Then in June, Miller Homes branched out with its first TV advert; featuring MiWay on a campaign entitled ‘The Optimist’, which was piloted in the North East before being launched in Scotland.
Prior to the ad’s launch, a teaser campaign focussed on ‘spreading the optimism’ on Twitter and through personalised blogs from Miller Homes. The Twitter campaign prompted dialogue with key industry influencers and journalists, as well as consumers and increased Twitter followers.
The results speak for themselves. In Scotland alone, MiWay has helped to secure reservations on over 212 homes since its launch and on a remarkable 837 homes for Miller nationwide.
Under MiWay, homebuyers can opt for a mortgage from 75% with the remaining 25% being provided in the form of a loan from Miller Homes. Miller has also introduced the opportunity for an 80% 20% or 90% 10% option to cater to buyers’ needs. 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 either the 25%, 20% or 10% of their home’s market value at that time.