Employing social media influencers—or those individuals with large social followings—to help sell a product is nothing new. However, Halstead has approached the trend from a unique angle and turned to a dog with a hefty Instagram following.
Like Grumpy Cat, Doug the Pug and others before him, Rudeboy has captured the hearts of many on the photo-sharing social app. An opportunity fell into Halstead’s lap when the Boston Terrier’s owner turned to agents Sean McPeak and Katie Thurber to sell their home.
"When Katie and I joined Halstead, our plan was to push listings through social channels, including Halstead’s," McPeak tells Housecall. "We made a plan to take over Halstead’s Instagram on our first day upon joining. We made public and story posts at various locations, one being Boris & Horton, our client’s dog cafe in the East Village. It was there we met Rudeboy."
Rudeboy is featured in all five photos of his owner’s listing. The loft-like, one-bedroom apartment is located in the East Village in Manhattan and features 11.5' ceilings, abundant natural light and newly-installed hardwood floors, as well as a decorative fireplace and an updated bathroom. The property is located at 322 East 14th Street and is listed for $529,000.
Although this approach to marketing a property is likely a one-off deal, since it’s Rudeboy's owner’s apartment, McPeak admits he’s open to working with influencers in the future.
"We have seen an enormous uptick in the web traffic on the listing on aggregator sites and Halstead’s website," McPeak says. "In the future, we would like to feature influencers—people usually—who help us accentuate our listing’s strengths or selling points."
Below is a video of the apartment, which also features Rudeboy. To view the full listing, click here.
Featured image: Halstead
