The Uplands at Riverview is a new Qualico Community surrounded by ravines, green space and the river valley. Close to the Anthony Henday, this secluded neighbourhood also provides quick access to everything the city has to offer—the best of both worlds.

Primary Goals & Objectives

  • Build on the momentum of an adventure-themed teaser campaign to draw homebuyers to a spring grand opening with a focus on young families.

Primary Challenges

  • Spring is an active time for land developers—the campaign would need to be bold to stand out.

Primary Strategies

Our strategy was to establish a unique and appealing identity for the grand opening that would:

  • Engage and educate potential buyers about community amenities and features.
  • Stand out from other land development projects.

To target families, we implemented the following tactics:

  • We established a prominent presence in Next Home magazine, buying the cover and a full-page ad.
  • A custom die-cut direct mailer created in the shape of a backpack was sent to thousands of prospective homebuyers. It opened to reveal a boarding pass with an invitation to enter a draw and a water bottle featuring a list of activities. The backpack also held a magnetic postcard to remind people to attend the event and act as a reminder afterwards.
  • Radio ads with an Indiana Jones parody added a layer of fun to the promotion.
  • On site, we featured rock climbing and a zip line.
  • A helicopter gave aerial tours of The Uplands while a train transported people to the showhomes.
  • Attendees enjoyed offerings from a food truck, ice cream, coffee and refreshments.
  • A draw was held for a Grand Prize weekend in Jasper.

Primary Results

The spring grand opening was a huge success. Qualico had hoped to attract 500 people to the event, and in the end more than 750 prospective homebuyers attended.

The home builders shared the following event feedback:

  • “Lots of prospects – Highly qualified traffic”
  • “Brought in people who were looking to purchase and not people looking for free stuff”
  • “Direct mail was a huge hit”
  • “One of the best events we have ever worked”