The Insider: Issue 041
Behold: the last Insider issue of the quarter. As time slips by at the speed of light, we’re pondering just how much can be squeezed into one lifetime, and getting inspired by catty advertising.
Something Different
Mortgage rates beginning with the number 5 have appeared on the scene, triggering a conflicting mess of behavioral incentives no amount of armchair economy planning can really untangle. But here’s an interesting stat to ponder as you make your attempt to understand all this: In 2005, 2 out of 5 mortgages had adjustable rates; in 2021 only 1 in 100 did.
If you want a peek at the looming nationwide deathmatch between Zillow and CoStar, look to New York. Zillow-owned StreetEasy, in anticipation of CoStar’s launch of its NYC portal, CitySnap, has been playing with rules requiring agents to post listings on their site quickly, and first. Watch these power moves closely, because they’re likely going national.
Bright MLS hired a serious CMO, Amit Kulkarni, former VP of Brand and Creative at Realtor.com. 1000watt has known Amit for years and he’s a talented marketing leader. Consultant Rob Hahn wrote a blog post after the announcement titled “Bright MLS hires a CMO, but why?”. A serious answer to that question will tell you all you need to know about where the MLS landscape is headed.
Have You Heard About This?
Tipping Point
We can’t remember the last day that went by without hearing or reading the term cryptocurrency. If that’s not an indication of a tipping point, then we don’t know what is. We don’t fashion ourselves crypto-maniacs nor naysayers, but rather somewhere in between. And we agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment of a recent New York Times deep dive on crypto — no matter what you think, there’s a reason to at least understand what’s going on here. It’s a thorough overview that defines the various terms and culture surrounding crypto, and sets it into the larger context of why it matters to our society right now. Check out: “The Latecomer’s Guide to Crypto.”
What's Inside
Be there for our Live Webinar this Friday at 1:00 Pacific / 4:00 Eastern as Brian delivers insights and takeaways from our recent research on real estate advertising and focus group with Gen Z renters.
Inspiration Point
Oh Hey Oh Hi Ohhhh
The state of Ohio has an edgy new advertising technique: burn the shortcomings of other states. People in Austin, San Francisco, New York and Seattle have been seeing some funny billboards that invite them to the finer things Ohio has to offer — like lower business taxes, lower cost of living, and of course, less traffic. The state group, Jobs Ohio, is behind the ads. Their advertising partner picked one of the golden tenets of interesting advertising: pick a fight. Picking a fight is a fruitful tactic that can result in zingy copy that makes people smile, laugh and talk to others about your ad. Some infamous examples include Apple’s “Mac vs PC,” Hertz’s “We try harder,” and a whole slew of Miller vs. Bud ads. (h/t to Insider Kevin Oakley for surfacing these gems).
The Last 30% of Tacos
If you swim in the ocean twice a year and you expect to live until about 90, have you ever thought about how many ocean swims would be left in your lifetime? Does knowing about how many books you have left to read in your lifetime change how you choose your next title? Can you guess about how many tacos you’ve left to eat? Our minds were blown reading through “The Tail End,” an illustrated article by one of the web’s most followed writers, Tim Urban. Tim lays out various aspects of his life in years, months, weeks and days, and how many experiences would be left — like time with his parents, number of dumplings left to eat, or elections left to vote in. This one will slap you in the face a bit.
Quote of the week
“Nothing left to do but smile.”
—Jerry Garcia
