Residential real estate sales franchise Century 21 Real Estate LLC is sponsoring ngmoco?s mobile game ?We City? to drive consumer engagement with its brand.

Targeting the next generation of home buyers and sellers, Century 21 and its agency partner Mullen are attempting to tap into the growing popularity of both social and mobile activities with the knowledge that consumers are using their smartphones to locate and research homes. Century 21?s objective for the partnership with ngmoco is to boost brand association with a growing segment of consumers who are mobile, social and may be interested in acquiring property.

?Today?s consumers are using their smartphones to locate and research homes wherever they are, whenever they want,? said Matt Gentile, director of public relations and social media at Century 21 Real Estate LLC, Parsippany, NJ. ?This initiative allows us to explore and interact with a growing segment of consumers who are mobile, social and intent on acquiring property ? both virtually and in real life.

?We City has an extremely loyal fan base of players who fall between the ages of 25-44 and, according to the National Association of Realtors? 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the largest share of homebuyers were between the ages of 25-34,? he said.

?This younger generation of homebuyers and sellers is leading the way in the real estate market so we are focused on reaching them when and where they are spending their time.?

Century 21 Real Estate LLC, a subsidiary of Realogy Corp., claims to be the franchisor of the world?s largest residential real estate sales organization, providing comprehensive training and marketing support for the Century 21 System.

The system includes more than 8,000 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 72 countries and territories worldwide.

Social mobile gaming company DeNA Co. Ltd.?s ngmoco creates and publishes games for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android.

Appssavvy partners with publishers, developers, brands and agencies to help them leverage social activity.

Social smartphone users
One in four adults own a smartphone, according to Nielsen Co.?s ?The State of Mobile Apps,? and mobile gaming attracts 26 million players every day, according to Flurry data.

We City?s base of active players ranges in age from 25-44. The game lets them build and control their own cities.

Gamers can now add Century 21-branded structures, including a real estate office, a modern home and a skyscraper. They can also earn virtual profits that let them expand their cities and advance within the game.

?By embracing mobile and social media, we are ensuring we are reaching our target consumer where they are spending a good deal of their time,? Mr. Gentile said. ?It?s all about giving the next generation the information they need, when and where they seek it.?

This campaign, which runs through April 26, was planned and executed by ngmoco partner appssavvy.

Century 21 is sponsoring We City

In addition to partnering with ngmoco?s We City, the company recently launched an updated mobile application that puts local Century 21 offices and agents, open houses and more than 3 million listings accessible to mobile users.

?Many marketers think of social advertising from a media standpoint and not necessarily to the real opportunity that we see, and that is social activity,? said Angela Giovanello, account director at Mullen, Boston. ?This campaign delivers on the promise of social activity advertising.

?Century 21 has demonstrated forward-thinking marketing, and ngmoco?s We City presented a dream home scenario to engage a mobile, social-savvy audience,? she said. ?As the social media agency of record for Century 21 Real Estate LLC, Mullen consistently challenges the brand to be at the forefront of reaching consumers and sees mobile gaming as one of the most underleveraged marketing opportunities available to brands right now.

?By providing in-game value to players? intent on growing their cities, the brand is connecting with a new target in a relevant and helpful way.?

Final Take
We City