National Association of Realtors hires Uncommon after period of turmoil

The National Association of Realtors (NAR), a nonprofit trade organization that wields significant power over the U.S. housing industry, has hired Uncommon Creative Studio New York as its creative agency of record following a series of crises. Over the last couple of years, the Chicago-based NAR has faced sexual harassment allegations, a settlement relating to agent commissions and a New York Times exposé on lavish perks and payouts. Now, it’s partnered with one of the industry’s hot shops to help turn the page. NAR confirmed Uncommon’s appointment, which came after a competitive review. The organization declined an interview, but it provided Ad Age with a statement from Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Suzanne Bouhia which read in part: “We are in an important moment of inflection and partnering with Uncommon represents an exciting path forward.” Agency Review Tracker Stay up to date with the latest account reviews Click here The NAR’s new chapter includes a new CEO in Nykia Wright, who had the interim label removed in August. Her appointment came after the NAR in March agreed to pay $418 million and change its policies to settle a lawsuit alleging the group and brokerages conspired to artificially inflate commissions paid to real estate agents. The group has undergone several executive changes since August 2023, when Kenny Parcell resigned as president of the group after being accused of sexual harassement, allegations he has denied. Parcell was replaced by Tracy Kasper, who stepped down five months later after she said she faced a blackmail threat. Kevin Sears currently serves as president. NAR did not return a request for comment on which agency formerly handled creative. Havas Chicago partnered with NAR as recently as 2022, when it worked on an installment of the organization’s national advertising campaign, “That’s Who We R.” Havas could not be immediately reached for comment. Also read: How Re/Max plans to build a retail media ad business Uncommon opened a New York office in October 2023, three months after selling a majority stake to Havas. Since then, the office has appointed former Droga5 executive Lindsay Cole as president and won assignments with brands including SiriusXM, Peacock and Guinness. NAR had U.S measured-media spending of $38 million in the first three quarters of 2024, according to MediaRadar, down from $90 million in the same period in 2023. It spent $101 million for all of 2023. The group has over 1.5 million members, according to a NAR fact sheet, making it the largest trade organization in the country. Ad Age World’s Largest Advertisers 2024 Global ad spending, rankings, analysis and profiles for the biggest marketers Click here “We so respect the work NAR does for homeownership in the U.S., and on behalf of its members, and are excited to dig in to support their members who are small business owners, as we revitalize and reconnect with consumers on their behalf,” Sam Shepherd, Uncommon New York’s chief creative officer, said in a statement.

National Association of Realtors hires Uncommon after period of turmoil

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