Fresh Student Living: dynamic creative and multi-channel media to let 18,000 student beds
6th November, 2026
At a glance: Peabody asked The Media People to launch and market its flagship mixed-tenure regeneration project in Bow, London E3, and help as many first-time buyers as possible into affordable homeownership. Our SpotLight audience-mapping software identified three core audience groups, and we planned an integrated “Walk it, Work it, Live it” campaign, optimised on data. It generated 5,845 leads at £38.11 per lead, and 95% of units sold before completion.
Key results
| Result | Figure |
|---|---|
| Units sold before the project’s completion | 95% |
| Leads | 5,845 |
| Cost per lead | £38.11 |
What was the brief?
Peabody needed to launch and market its flagship mixed-tenure regeneration project in Bow, London E3.
Peabody’s primary objective was to provide affordable homeownership options that help as many first-time buyers as possible. The campaign therefore had to do two things: find enough of the right buyers, and give them a clear reason to choose Bow.
Who was the audience?
Audience mapping identified three core groups: East End Cool, Canary Wharf & City Workers, and North-East Enders.
These groups gave the campaign a clear target. They pointed to people with a link to east London, whether through where they live, where they work or the lifestyle they want. The campaign message presented Bow as a place to walk, work and live.
What did The Media People do?
We started with the audience and planned everything from there. The first step was to find out who the audience was, understand them, their lifestyle and habits, and then find them.
Phase one: audience mapping with SpotLight
We used SpotLight, our bespoke audience-mapping software, to analyse who was most likely to buy. Audience mapping means building a picture of potential customers, including who they are, how they live and where they can be reached, so media can be planned around real people rather than broad demographics.
The findings from this first phase showed the three core audience groups: East End Cool, Canary Wharf & City Workers, and North-East Enders.
Phase two: an integrated campaign planned around the findings
Using these results, we planned an integrated campaign in detail to make the messaging as effective as possible at every touchpoint. The audience insight set which channels to use, where and when, so each touchpoint reached the people most likely to respond.
The campaign line was “Walk it, Work it, Live it”. The line presented Bow as somewhere to walk, work and live.
Continuous optimisation
The campaign, its messaging and its marketing collateral were reviewed and optimised continually, based on tangible data. This kept the campaign delivering throughout, with messages and collateral moving towards what was working.
What were the results?
The campaign generated 5,845 leads at a cost of £38.11 per lead, and 95% of units were sold before the project’s completion.
Selling 95% of units before completion meant buyers were secured well before the project finished.
“The Media People’s attention to detail on target audiences, planning and delivery across a range of media channels were a huge contributing factor to the success of this campaign.”Andrew Peglau, Assistant Director, Marketing, Peabody
Why did it work?
- Audience first. Mapping the audience before planning media meant every channel choice had a reason behind it.
- Named audience groups. Clear segments, such as Canary Wharf & City Workers, made it easier to write messages that felt relevant.
- One message across touchpoints. “Walk it, Work it, Live it” gave the campaign a single, memorable idea.
- Optimisation on real data. Reviewing results and adjusting the campaign as it ran kept performance on track.
What can other housing associations and developers learn from this campaign?
- Map your audience before you choose media. Knowing lifestyle and habits helps you find buyers where they already spend time.
- Name your audience segments. It gives creative and media teams a shared picture of who they are talking to.
- Build the message around how buyers want to live, including where they work.
- Review and optimise messaging and collateral throughout, using data rather than opinion.
- Track cost per lead and sales before completion, so you can show the value of the campaign.
FAQs
What is audience mapping in marketing?Audience mapping builds a picture of potential customers, including who they are, how they live and where they can be reached. It lets a campaign target media at real groups of people instead of broad demographics.
What is SpotLight?SpotLight is The Media People’s bespoke audience-mapping software. For Peabody, it identified three core audience groups: East End Cool, Canary Wharf & City Workers, and North-East Enders.
What results did the Peabody campaign achieve?The campaign generated 5,845 leads at £38.11 per lead, and 95% of units were sold before the project’s completion.
How do you market affordable homes to first-time buyers?Start by mapping who your likely buyers are and how they live, then plan an integrated campaign around those groups. Review and optimise messages and collateral as results come in.
What was the Peabody campaign called?The campaign was called “Walk it, Work it, Live it”. It promoted Peabody’s mixed-tenure regeneration project in Bow, London E3.
Related services
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