Social media sells apartments

Wellington developer Stratum Management used Facebook to sell some of the apartments in its latest tower, due to start construction next month.

Its Facebook campaign and a shared brand marketing campaign have seen 20 apartments sold so far for the 82-apartment Elevate Apartments tower, expected to cost $42 million to build.

Stratum believes it is the first campaign to have sold apartments via Facebook.

The 16-storey building, designed by Architecture Plus, will have city and harbour views from 24 Taranaki St.

It will be one of the highest residential buildings in Wellington.

The apartments feature a range of of apartment floor plans, with one-bedroom units at $305,000-$379,000, two-bedroom at $450,000-$558,000 and three-bedroom from $520,000-$595,000.

The building entrance will feature a retail area on the ground floor opening on to Taranaki St and private access for residents to the internal secure carpark.

 “Elevate Apartments will become an icon of sophisticated urban lifestyle,” Stratum Management director Craig Stewart says.

“Elevate represents a vision for Wellingtonians who are looking to shift, create and lift the energy in their lives.

"Despite the number of 'cheap and nasty' or high-end developments on the market, Elevate has been successful with its mid-range pricing as it caters for resurgence in demand for inner city living in Wellington.”

As well as its Facebook page, Stratum also worked with marketing and brand engagement company Chilli to create launch events to give people a feeling for what life in Elevate could be like, with each partner “owning” its event and assisting in the campaign’s promotion.

These included:

• “Swig This City; Two cocktail evenings by Bettys Function House & Bar,” where bartenders not only allowed people to taste but also taught them how to make cocktails.
• “Taste This City; A sophisticated affair,” with a three-course meal offering prepared and delivered by chef Sam Pope.
• “Move This City; Two Les Mills gym classes,” tailored around maximising a workout and achieving balance during city life.
• “Stir This City; Hosted by Mojo Coffee,” where baristas delved into coffee history and the art of making good coffee at home.

Mr Stewart says this marketing approach gained cut-through and won the hearts and minds of potential buyers.

“People could see that this wasn’t just another apartment pitch but a genuinely well-thought out project that was going to be a solid investment for the future.”