Grabbing the attention of a cynical, wary audience

Every day, it seems, there is another building company going under. People considering building a new home have become very wary of new entrants to the market. To get ahead, you need to have had history; a proven track record. So what do you do if you don’t?

Ray Mudgway is an entrepreneur. Amongst other things he also runs a company called Jag Air; an aerobatic joy riding company who fly the iconic Pitts Special Biplanes. His latest venture is a building company, in partnership with his father.

They believe peace of mind is the number one emotional driver when building a house; for both future owner and builder. The mechanism for that is transparency, right through the process. They don’t build from plans, but get an architect to work with the owners to get the property they want.

Ray wanted to put out a DM piece that prospected for him. He got onto a database for people who had just bought land, have vacant land or were going for council consents.

I suggested he do it a little unconventionally. Not show houses, not show land, not show builders in trucks, but talk about his proposition; transparency. The mailer I devised opens to gradually reveal the story. It starts with WYSIWYG; the notion that the whole build process with JAG is open.

Not only did it deliver him some rich prospects, it delivered me a Bronze Best Award, 2009.