Surterre launches with green in mind

     This eco-friendly company celebrates the natural beauty that surrounds homes in our coastal area

      “I built this brand to complement the very unique and beautiful homes in our area with natural images that are inherent to the building process or landscaping that make them so extraordinary. The literal translation of “surterre” means ‘on earth’ in French. At Surterre Properties it means that we share the natural beauty around us and we want to preserve and promote this in every way possible.” - Paula Ansara-Wilhelm, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer of Surterre Properties

     When Surterre Properties launched the ad campaign with the signature rock, beautiful seashell and lush greenery, it quickly generated attention. Within months since its premiere, Surterre Properties has secured 100 top agents. This immediate success isn’t new to Paula Ansara-Wilhelm, who serves as the Chief Brand &Marketing Officer of Surterre Properties and who has been responsible for many successful branding campaigns in the luxury real estate market for more than two decades. She recently sat down to address some important questions about the competitive market place and the meaning behind that ‘rock’.

Q: What are the key components highlighted in the Surterre Properties marketing campaign?
I built this brand to complement the very unique and beautiful homes in our area with natural images that are inherent to the building process or landscaping that make them so extraordinary. The literal translation of “surterre” means ‘on earth’ in French. At Surterre Properties it means that we share the natural beauty around us and we want to preserve and promote this in every way possible.

Q: How does a real estate company ‘preserve and promote’?
At Surterre Properties, we’ve begun by thinking and acting green to affect the matter in our environment which then is communicated through our marketing efforts and brand building. We have consciously moved into a more eco-friendly working environment. Behind-the-scenes at Surterre Properties, we have made a commitment to use recycled materials for our stationery, direct mail, brochures, business cards and everything we print.
We’ve also located office chairs made out of recycled plastics. Our conference room table comes from a 700-year-old tree that died of natural causes and was divided into salvageable pieces. One portion was rescued by a company that specializes in this kind of rescue and recovery of trees to make eco-friendly furniture.
That’s how we’re beginning to do our part in the preservation process at Surterre Properties, and we’re planning as a company to do much more by working with local charities that emphasize the environment. To promote “green” we’re creating subtle imagery that emphasizes the natural beauty and landscape, and we focus on the important details of each home that advocates pride in ownership and environment.
Our clients are excited and supportive of our efforts and they identify with the need to promote this eco-lifestyle model.

Q: How is Surterre Properties different from the other real estate brands that you’ve developed?
As a part of the local and global community, we felt we needed to do something new and most of all, something important. There are plenty of real estate companies in Orange County; we knew that we wanted to create a company philosophy that celebrates the beauty of our natural landscapes found in Orange County and relates it to the properties we represent. This is a new approach from some of the brands I’ve created in the past because it’s truly a set of values that we all share internally.

Q: You mention that there are plenty of other agencies in Orange County, so besides having an environmental savvy approach to your campaigns, what else makes Surterre Properties stand out from the rest of its competition?
That’s a great question. There are a lot of choices in Orange County. What makes Surterre Properties great is that we focus our efforts on telling the story about the home. It’s not about the agent and at the end of the day it’s not about our company; it’s always about our clients. This is one element along with our in-house creative studio; the boutique-style setting where our agents have the freedom to customize and meet their client’s needs, and of course our eco-friendly approach to business that sets Surterre Properties apart from other real estate companies in Orange County.

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