Can a Prefab Home Actually Be Stylish? This Upbeat Ad Hopes to Make the Case

Is homeownership in the U.S. a pipe dream or an attainable goal?

For millennials, especially, skyrocketing prices around the country have often put home buying out of reach. The average new home, built on site, costs nearly $400,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Enter Clayton Homes with a campaign for its “smart solution” to the affordable housing crisis, touting its prefabricated homes and batting back stigma that the category is low-end and one-size-fits-all.

The “Prefabulous” campaign from Colorado-based agency Made “speaks to everyone being held hostage by home prices,” says Dave Schiff, founder and chief creative offer. “It tells them there are beautiful homes built a different way. Homes they can afford.”

The brand’s houses (some styles are three-bedroom, two-bath in about 1,800 square feet) start at $159,000, the ad says.

The hero spot follows a young woman walking into an empty warehouse and opening a bright blue door (that color is peacock, for all the DIY fans out there). What she finds on the other side, without missing a step, is a Clayton home under construction.

Special effects kick in for this built-from-the-ground-up scenario and make a book case, kitchen island, freestanding tub and open floor plan materialize as the woman and her family live large in the modest (not to be confused with tiny) space.

“Prefabulous” uses the catchy, classic Mel Tormé tune, “Comin’ Home Baby,” also used in a much-loved George Clooney Nespresso ad in 2017.

“Offsite construction can make the dream of homeownership a reality by leveraging innovative building practices, automation and bulk purchasing power,” says Kevin Clayton, the brand’s CEO, who wants to “democratize luxury” and draw attention to the company’s customizable features.

The campaign rolls out this week on broadcast TV, digital and social media like Facebook and Instagram, streaming services and connected TV, with audio versions headed to Spotify and Pandora.

CREDITS:

Client: Clayton Homes Inc.
Agency: Made
Chief Creative Officer: Dave Schiff
Creative Directors: Nate Bruning, Steve Dolan
Art Director: Matt Alexander
Copywriter: Myles Rigg
Account Director: Kelly Canavan
Senior Account Manager: Chanel Williams
Senior Integrated Producer: Andrew Campbell
Business Affairs: Xandra Ess

Client:
Mike Duncan, VP of Marketing
Carl Hill, VP of Retail Marketing
Pat Egan, Director Digital Marketing
Bree Smith, Creative Manager

Production Company & City: Caviar, La
Director: Arno Salters
Executive Producer (Production Co.): Jasper Thomlinson
Line Producer: Luke Thomlinson Clark
Director Of Photography: Chris Mably
Production Designer: Oliver Howell
Art Director (Production Co.): Zuzana Sucha
Editor: Dan Aronin
Production Service Company: Amazing Productions – Prague
Executive Producer (Production Service Company): Petra Ondrejkova
Music Supervision: Good Ear Music Supervision, L.A.
Visual Effects Company: Artjail, N.Y.
Visual Effects Supervisor: Steve Mottershead
Visual Effects Producer: Perry Tate