Where the heart is.

Using the Black Mountain Tower, a (landscape) A4 ad for a local brand.

Canberra, despite being the home of more than 400,000 and growing, seems to have a tough gig of convincing people of its advantages.

“Here’s why moving to Canberra is a good idea”, “Here’s why you should consider living in Canberra”, “I swore I’d never move to Canberra, until I did” - the Google search results to ‘moving to Canberra’ doesn’t fill one with hope.

It’s hard to get past Bill Bryson’s withering “Canberra: why wait for death?”, as remarked in his 2000 travelogue.

Additionally, many residents pass through Canberra as a transient phase - a university degree, a defence posting, a public service job offer, a parliamentary term - meaning the city becomes a quick set change to a section of life, rather than a permanent backdrop.

However, whether you’re a local or a blow-in, you need to find somewhere to put down your roots. That’s where Canberra-born property listing platform Zango comes into play. Locally grown, the website and app features a more insider look into ACT real estate. By using their service over the more ubiquitous RealEstate.com or Domain, users save with lower listing fees while investing in the local economy.

When it comes to finding a place that feels like home, there are a few things that are universal to the build of so many Aussie homes.

Source: 99% Invisible — *Source:* *99% Invisible*

One of those is the hills hoist, invented in Geelong and popularised by Adelaide native Lance Hills, which has become an iconic feature of backyards all over the nation.

Putting the two together, bringing the (comparatively) new, man-made ACT with the nostalgic silhouette of the Hills Hoist, voices the potential for Canberra to be a place that you can “hang up” your hat, and truly call home.

A campaign such as this could easily be slotted in among a social media feed, while scrolling or flicking through stories of similar sunset snaps. To reach the most pertinent audience, this ad could be targeted towards Facebook users using Facebook’s Marketplace function to search for furniture or housing listings.

Facebook’s Marketplace, housing and furniture ads among ads. Screenshots taken from mobile platform.

Although Facebook Marketplace is not an unformidable competitor in the realty industry, with an Australian user base of roughly 16 million (Ramshaw 2021), when it comes to leasing, renting, or buying properties, dealing real estate directly with the general public can create problems.

This ad has potential to re-direct Canberra house hunters towards Zango during their search for housing or furnishings, highlighting the personal touch that the company embodies.

From professionals needing a place to air out combat fatigues or Hugo Boss suits, to uni students looking for a pad to host Goon of Fortune, this ad allows Zango to communicate their expertise in making the bush capital a feel a little less “Pyeongyang without the dystopia” and a little more like home.

Uncut gems.

Bad dreams.