We live in Playa Vista. 90094. The past 13 years. I grew up about three or four miles from Playa Vista, in old Ladera Heights, not what was called "new (west of La Cienega)" or "upper Ladera Heights (north of Slauson, west of La Cienega)."
I remember catching pollywogs and frogs at the corner of Centinela and Sepulveda. I remember the small lake at La Tijera ("the scissors") and La Cienega where the Ralphs is now. Where Builders Emporium was located, first.
I went to St. Jerome's and Loyola High, plus two degrees from USC.
I know the geographic and selling area well.
For 50+ years I have been a marketing and advertising professional. While working full-time, I taught 78 semesters of Marketing, Advertising, Global Marketing and Business Strategies, over 40 years at USC, Pepperdine (all five campuses, in their MBA program), LMU, CSUN and am a guest speaker at several universities and colleges, law schools (USC Gould, Ucla, Southwestern and Loyola Law School) plus professional groups/societies.
Reasons for the post, which I started in 2016:
The realtors and agents say and promote that they are: #1 (in so many ways how can there be that many Numero Unos or Unas? Out market. Out sell. Out work. Out perform.
Plus the realtor who wrote: "I usually don't resort to this type of letter, as I don't like receiving these types of letters from realtors." Really.
Or the realtor or wrote copy, caps: "I CAN MARKET YOUR HOME WORLWIDE."
For educational purposes plus as a Marketing expert and as a former VP of our HOA, our residents started to get a ton of unsolicited mail and promotional materials from agents and realtors. We have had real estate agents and realtors knocking on our doors in Playa Vista, dropping off literature which isn't permitted by PVPAL. Calling out of the blue.
Most overused line by the industry: "Just sold." Doesn't say how long it took, at what commission, asking price; was it priced for an easy sell? In spring '26 one selling strategy now is underpricing almost all nine homes on a promotional flyer.
Second one: "I know marketing," from an agent or realtor. Please! So overused and they can't usually give you a definition of Marketing and accurately breaking the practice of Marketing into hundreds of components. May never have taken one marketing class.
I give presentations at business schools, grad schools and law schools (15 years at Loyola Law School), plus associations and groups. My topics for an interactive discussion on "What are the Differences between Marketing and Advertising." Or simply "What is Marketing? What is Advertising?" Agents and realtors usually can't tell you the difference. Sad, but true.
We get a lot of unsolicited promotional materials from realtors and agents. I started collecting the slogans and headlines. Some of these slogans, body copy, tag lines and headlines are better than others. Some are simply, unbelievable.
Regarding slogans and headlines: Many promotional lines. Some more competitive than others. Some with exaggeration and hyperbole, plus "puffery." Many with no relevant dates or time periods.
I'll add a few comments from my experiences from teaching Marketing and Advertising, Marketing consulting and expert witnessing in court.
We have used a few of these realtors and agents. We know their reputations. Some are better than others. Some have good reputations, others not so good.
On our Network Exchanges some are regarded as "untrustworthy." I have not been able to fully verify these claims. This post is for educational purposes, cocktail "talk," and a teaching and learning situations for homeowners, potential homeowners and others.
- Everyone sells their "Teams." April 2026. If you do a Google search for number one team in Playa Vista or Number One team in Silicon Beach you get not a realtor but "Google is generally considered the top tech cornerstone of Silicon Beach."
- April 2026: A "LOT THAT STANDS OUT COMING SOON" "Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by seller or obtained from public records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. The property may have video/surveillance devices.
- April 2026: "Twilight sneak peak, but with hors d'oeuvres, wine and champagne.
- March 2026. No open houses are necessary and Unique commission structures are two differentiators.
- March 2026: "SELL ON YOUR TERMS."
- April 2023: "We Market Homes Differently...I add a comment. They do add "we can help sell your home for the highest possible price," which is unbelievable, to me.
- February 2023: The market might be slow, but we have been active...
- February 2023: We'll sell your home in 30 days or less guaranteed, or we'll buy it** (with font size you need a magnifying glass to read)
- February 2023: A Market Shift is Happening, What Does it Mean?
- February 2023: What are your real estate goals? We can sell yours too.
- January 2023: "Let's work together."
- January 2023: "Robin has a passion for real estate..."
- January 2023: We can sell your property of home within 20 days.
- January 2023: Playa Vista's #1 Agents. I'll let you guess there are plenty of #1's.
- January 2023: Top sales or top seller
- February 2022: "We'll sell your home in 30 days or less. Guaranteed, Or we'll buy it!!
- January 2022: Connect with us to build a marketing strategy for your home."
- January 2022: For Playa Vista--One realtor said they sold 95 homes (63 in PV), and another realtor said that only 60 total homes were sold in 2021 FULL YEAR in PLAYA VISTA. What gives?
- October 2021: "What others do? Install for sale sign; Post Property to MLS; Create and Print flyers; Wait for calls and wonder what's going on; Reduce property price." A little harsh. Promotion and copywriting by Suarez Team of KW
- October 2021: The Monster Dash 5K sponsored by Compas, and I'd label that under "promotion, Events and Experiences, under 9P's of Marketing
- September 2021 "In 2021, we've helped over 250 families ...buy and sell local real estate."
- January 2019: We get mailers every day from Realtors even though we are on a do not mail list. It seems they don't care and just do mass mailings. We received a mailer from Pier to Pier. They state "flat fee." Pay only $15K to the listing broker. Their "Place," one of the nine P's of Marketing. Pier to Pier includes "Sellers from the South Bay to Downtown L.A. (DTLA) and points beyond are saving tens of thousands of dollars by listing with them. "
"WE ACTUALLY DO MORE TO MARKET PROPERTIES THAN AGENTS CHARGING MUCH HIGHER COMMISSIONS..."
Does that pass the logic test?
- January 2019: One of the good ones, Winnie Lichit says, Playa Vista is about "HOME. FAMILY. FRIENDSHIPS. SCHOOL. COMMUNITY." I would agree.
- September 2018: Flexner + Ziari stated "...that Playa Vista had cracked the top 10 for property crime in L.A. Then they offered some security tips.
- September 2018: Do you think real estate commissions are too high? Offering a 1% listing side commission, with PiertoPier brokers.
- August 2018: With the headline WHY NOT SAVE $10,000-$40,000." Bob & Cheryl have a price and discount strategy. The seller "may" save by having the same broker for seller and buyer. Not sure you the seller get the SAME Full Service!!!"
- From July 2018: "Syndication to all websites." Not sure what that means.
- From July 2018: "Pay 1% listing commission or no escrow fees -your choice." Using Price and Pricing to promote. A form of discounting. Very small font: "Buyer's Broker commission calculated separately."
- From June 2018: Two calling themselves the "Top Playa Vista Real Estate Team." They use body copy of "most closed transactions."
- From June 2018: A broker/realtor stating "we have successfully sold home in your neighborhood."
- From June 2018: Doesn't each and every realtor say they get the highest values for their seller? What's most important in choosing a realtor, FS?
- From May 2018: From Jesse Weinberg and Vivian Lesney. This time it's with wine and cheese and a "TWILIGHT OPEN HOUSE." The capital letters are theirs, not mine.
- From March 2018: "Best Priced Single Family Home in Playa Vista" from Fineman Suarez
- From January 2018: Average price per sq.ft was $657 in '17; Average sold price was $1.17 million in '17, according to Halton Pardee.
- From January 2018: A headline from Josh Goldstein "The Face of Phase II." Interesting, without any copy benefits or copy support.
- From December 2017: Tami Humphrey says "#1 in home sales."
- From November 2017: Receive plenty of mailers from Jesse Weinberg and Vivian Lesny, who claim to be the #1 Sales Team Nationwide for Keller Williams Realty.
- From October 2017: Got a mailer, unsolicited from Daniel Lowe of Gibson International: With four typos. How's that for detail? (home, should have been home's; qulified, should have been qualified; mazimize, should have been maximize; personailzed, should have been personalized--what a spell check problem for me in this post. How many mailers did he send with the misspellings?
- From October 2017, Fineman Suarez, promoted "Get a pie of pie and a free pumpkin."
- From October 2017, Jesse Weinberg and Vivian Lesny promoted a "Twilight Open House" for a property in Dorian.
- From April 2017, Jackie Samis of KellerWilliams: What an opening line? "I ususally don't resort to this type of letter, as I don't like receiving these types of letters from realtors."
- From April 2017, Playa Vista Reporter and Robert Pitts Estates: Featuring a home in Ladera Heigths. Really? Zip code 90056 isn't 90094. I grew up in 90056 and live in 90094. Let's be real.
- From April 2017: Flexner + Ziari: "More Playa Vista Homes Sold Than Any Other Brokers." "We have sold more homes in this area than any other realtors and will talk you through what to expect." Backup?
- From March 2017, Gwendolyn J. Thomas: "I bring you resources, experience and strategy that are unmatched." Really, unmatched?
- From March 2017, the Fineman Suarez team: "Contact the champions and get the results you desire." "This March, don't make the process of choosing a Real Estate Team turn into Madness." Using a Promotional tactic of comparative advertising, Fineman Suarez give more than a dozen competitors to call.
- This Valentine's Day let our team...find a buyer to fall in love with your home; ..get the results you desire."
- From March 2017, SFG Group: "Highest sale price ever in Playa Vista."
- From March 2017, Halton Pardee: "We love making things happen for our clients. #1 Team in Los Angeles; #2 Sales Team in the U.S.A.; Work with the Real Estate Market Leader. On average , our listings sell above market Price." (Londre questions: Sure are a number of #1 teams out there, plus how do their listing sell above market price if the market price is the market price?
- From March 2017, Playa Vista Specialists: "Setting THE NEW STANDARD (their caps) for selling condos and homes in Playa Vista."
- From March 2017, JGold Group: "Seldom do these condos (Camden at Playa Vista, multiple buildings in Phase II) come available, so don't miss your opportunity to see this today?" Londre comment: Puffery. Really, how new is it?
- From March 2017, Halton Pardee: "All you need to know" is their headline or teaser line. Londre comment: Really, all you need to know? Plus "as seen in REALTRENDS: 20K+ per week, potential buyers." Londre comment: " How many are on a "do not mail list?"
- From February 2017, Myers & Casey: "...Our clients come first. Our goal is to make the purchase or sale of your home seamless and stress free."
- From February 2017, Halton Pardee: "Partner with us, the Market Leader. #1 Team in Los Angeles; #2 Sales Team in the U.S.A.; Selling your home...interview the Market Leader" (Londre question: Surely are a number of #1 teams out there?
- From February 2017, J Gold Group: For insight into Playa Vista's Real Estate Market and Community..."
- From February 2017, Flexner + Ziari: Over 400 of your neighbors have trusted us." Is this from listing and selling? Any research to back this up?
- From February 2017, the Fineman Suarez team: "This Valentine's Day let our team...find a buyer to fall in love with your home; ..get the results you desire."
- From February 2017, Playa Vista Living Team, Tami Humphrey: "#1 Total Sales; #1 Total Buyers represented; #1 Total Leased Properties; #2 Total Listings."
- From February 2017, Playa Vista Experts, with Reid Kaplan: "We don't put you on an assembly line or pass you around for each step in the process like most teams do." Really?
- From January, 2017: "When it comes to selling homes NOT EVERYTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE (their caps); "We're not just selling houses, we're SETTING and BREAKING records." (Again their caps, not mine). Fineman Suarez (Londre comment: Really? Research? Interesting, creative copywriting. )
- Fineman and Suarez, I met one of the agents in the past two weeks. Here's input from another mailer "Experts predict up to 3 increases throught ...2017, totally 1%...This decreases a buyer's purchase power by 10%. On a $1 Million home, that is $100K."
- Winnie Licht: "Coldwell Banker’s #1 Real Estate Broker Associate in Playa Vista" (We have used her and Julie Walker to purchase a home. I'm a fan. They have used me as a positive reference.) I believe they are "Market Leaders," as they use and promote that headline.
- "We're the #1 Marketing Team in Silicon Beach" (12/2016) Fineman Suarez (Londre question: Based on research?)
- "We're the #1 Marketing Team in Silicon Beach" (1/2017) Fineman Suarez (Londre question: Based on research?;plus January mailer has 12 properties, not one is in Playa Vista.)
- Here's a headline for selling agents and realtors, and not buying agents or realtors: "When Silicon Beach wants to sell, they call....Playa Vista Pros" from 1/2017.
- Playa Vista Pros: "When Silicon Beach wants to sell, they call SAM & RUDI (their all caps)
- "The Silicon Beach Experts" (12/2016) Fineman Suarez
- "The hardest working team in real estate." Playa Vista Premiere (Londre question: Not just Playa Vista, but in Real Estate?)
- The Fineman Suarez Team: "The #1 Marketing Team in Silicon Beach Today." Plus "A team always outperforms an individual." "...We're the #1 Marketing Team in Silicon Beach (My observation that they lost the "today" copy from a previous mailer.)
- Halton Pardee: "We know your future buyer." I dislike their from my educational, teaching and professional background the promotional line: "Over $150K a month spent on marketing."
- "Playa Vista Specialists:" Wiinnie Licht and Julie Walker (Positive reference from me)
310 Playa Vista Realtor, Professional #1 Real Estate Agent" Without any names?
"Playa Vista Specialists:"Jesse Weinberg and Vivian Lesny
- "#1 Team Nationwide for Keller Williams Realty:" Jesse Weinberg and Vivian Lesny
- "Neighbors are hiring us to sell their home than any other team" (11/2016): Jesse Weinberg and Vivian Lesny
- Playa Vista Pros: "#1 Listing agents for 2015" Plus "Most number of properties listed in Playa Vista" "Playa Vista Pros:" Sam Araghi and Rudi Behdad: As a Marketing expert, I would ask "over what period of time?"
- "When Silicon Beach wants to sell, they call SAM and RUDI (capital letters are from them)"
- "Over 400 of your neighbors have trusted us, you can too:" Flexner+ Ziari
- Playa Vista's Premiere Selling Partners, with over 400 homes sold since 2004:" Flexner+ Ziari
- Helton Pardee: "We make selling, buying and leasing real estate a seamless experience."
- Fineman Suarez Team: "You can sell now for more money and not have to physically move until January or February." Plus "more competition equals less money!" Some puffery, it appears.
- Team? Playa Vista Premiere promotes: "The hardest working team in real estate." Or "Let the hardest working team in real estate work for you." Really?
I will keep adding to this list.
What makes a good tag line? Want to see some good ones?
With great Marketing strategies, the best ones are short, powerful summations that companies and firms use to drive their brand message home to consumers. Or potential home buyers or sellers.
Think "Just do it" and "We try harder." Would love that all realtors would just do it---by buying and/or selling; that they were knowledgeable and worked harder. Subjective, I know.
Small companies can create and craft taglines and headlines which can be every bit as effective as those of the big creative machines.
- "You're in good hands with Allstate" (1956, Allstate Insurance)
- "Got milk?" (1993, California Milk Processor Board)
- "Don't leave home without it" (1975, American Express)
- "Just do it" (1988, Nike)
- "Where's the beef?" (1984, Wendy's)
- "Think different" (1998, Apple Computer)
- "We try harder" (1962, Avis)
- "Tastes great, less filling" (1974, Miller Light)
- "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" (1954, M&M Candies)
- "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking" (1956, Timex)
Follow me. Plenty of Marketing insights and trivia. https://londremarketing.blogspot.com/
I like Marketing. I like Promotion, one of my nine P's of Marketing
I like advertising, which is one of the eight components under Promotion in my 9P's of Marketing.
I like copy and selling points. I like finding Marketing opportunities and solving Marketing problems using the nine P's of Marketing. I like teaching them.
I use my 9P's to illustrate Marketing examples in the classroom, in court as an expert witness, in seminars and to solve Marketing problems and to find opportunities.
My 9P's of Marketing do include these important concepts, practices and components:
I am using the 9P's with Planning, People, Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Partners, Presentation and Passion to illustrate an unusual insight or example. To find opportunities and problems in Marketing.
- Planning and Research.
- Finding copy points is part of the creative and promotional planning.
- Planning for marketing activities, objectives, strategies and tactics. Viewership, revenue, sales. All sales, whether in services, fashion, sports, amusement parks, hotels, resorts, autos, fast food, retail sales or tires, refreshments or cereal, as three examples.
- From the founder of Intuit, Scott Cook, said: " A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is -- (maybe from Marketing Research never was is my comment) it is what consumers (“People” in the 9P’s) tell each other it is.
- People (Segmentation and Targeting)
- Consumers and users, as in shoppers. Fashion consumers. Add travelers.
- In my 9P's, I stress that firms need to look and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users.
- Product and Services, includes airports, sports teams, people and celebrities too. I teach that perfection resides in quality, not quantity.
- Place (Distribution), includes retail and online. How about locations of airports, team stadiums, amusement parks and resorts?
- Price or Pricing, many contingency plans needed.
- Promotion:
- There are eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities.
- The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
- Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
- Listen more than you talk. People who listen more, learn more, plus helps you position your service/product/solution or offering.
- Advertising:
Like Super Bowl advertising in February for Super Bowl. Think about this expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells."- Sales Promotion, advertising mascots can fit here, too. Signage would fit here.
- Collateral Materials
- Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
- Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:
- Events and Experiences, sampling
- Public Relations/PR
- One stop shopping is more important than ever.
- Partners/Alliances, can be one of the most powerful of the 9P's if researched, performed and handled well.
- There should be moving forward towards shared goals or goals.
- Presentation:
- The act or acts of strategically presenting any of the different 9P’s© and/or components to your customers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, sales force, marketing intermediaries, clients, employees, partners, and/or others.
Presentation aspects may be signs, symbols or images that represent something; a descriptive or persuasive account (as a sales person of the product or service). Something set forth for the attention of mind of your targets ("People") and media audiences. I've added "culture," too. I'm adding "culture," too.
- Passion, including consumers and employees. Think about the lines sometimes of consumers waiting for a new Apple product
I am an experienced, senior Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising expert, Advertising/ Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC.
I created the 9P's. I own a copyright for these Nine P’s/9 P's of Marketing©2007 concepts and Marketing practices, which augment the 1960's Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the 4P’s by the American Marketing Association (AMA), Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practice of Marketing. It's sixty years later and we are in the digital age. Now.
The Nine P's/9P's of Marketing help identify marketing problems in a number of strategic areas and help develop profitable marketing’s objectives, strategies, tactics and solutions. The 9P's are insightful. The nine P's were created for the digital age.