Made for the Real You
This campaign helped a national homebuilder make homeownership feel personal in a time when so many potential buyers were discouraged or overwhelmed. “Made for the Real You” reframed the home not as a fantasy, but as a space that reflects the messy, joyful, lived-in parts of life. I led the art direction across campaign development, collaborating closely with strategy, copy, and production to bring warmth, personality, and emotional intelligence into every touchpoint.
Client: Mattamy Homes
Agency: The Turnlab
Role: Senior Art Director
Date: April 2024
Agency: The Turnlab
Role: Senior Art Director
Date: April 2024
The opportunity
The housing market has become increasingly difficult to navigate, especially for first-time buyers. Interest rates, affordability, and economic uncertainty have led many to believe that homeownership is out of reach. But behind the headlines, real people are still finding ways to make it happen. This campaign was an opportunity to highlight those untold journeys and bring humanity back into the homebuying conversation. Our goal was to reflect the emotional truth of what buying a home really means and do it through the voices of the people who’ve lived it.
This wasn’t about showing the perfect lifestyle. It was about reflecting the real one.
This wasn’t about showing the perfect lifestyle. It was about reflecting the real one.
What we did
From the Ground Up , Stories Built on Trust
We launched a multi-city initiative across the GTA, Ottawa, and Calgary, conducting in-depth interviews with dozens of Mattamy homeowners to uncover stories that reflected a range of experiences from first-time buyers to multigenerational families and newcomers to Canada.
I played a hands-on role throughout the process.
I led interviews, helped shape the casting strategy, and worked closely with my copy partner to identify which stories carried the emotional depth we were looking for. I was present on set with each homeowner building trust, asking questions, and helping people open up in their own words.
Beyond production, I collaborated in post, working closely with the team to help cut the stories in a way that honoured each voice and ensured the final pieces could be adapted for multiple formats. The tone was key: nothing overproduced, nothing scripted. Just honest, human storytelling rooted in real moments.
I led interviews, helped shape the casting strategy, and worked closely with my copy partner to identify which stories carried the emotional depth we were looking for. I was present on set with each homeowner building trust, asking questions, and helping people open up in their own words.
Beyond production, I collaborated in post, working closely with the team to help cut the stories in a way that honoured each voice and ensured the final pieces could be adapted for multiple formats. The tone was key: nothing overproduced, nothing scripted. Just honest, human storytelling rooted in real moments.
The Outcome
Emotional Impact, Scalable Reach
“Made for the Real You” became one of Mattamy’s most emotionally resonant campaigns to date. It sparked higher-than-average engagement on social, drove strong in-market awareness, and helped shift internal perception around how lifestyle campaigns could look and feel.
More than metrics, the work expanded the emotional tone of the brand, inviting buyers to see themselves, not a polished ideal, reflected in the story being told. It marked a turning point in how Mattamy connected with new audiences and set the foundation for future campaigns centered in empathy and real-life insight.
More than metrics, the work expanded the emotional tone of the brand, inviting buyers to see themselves, not a polished ideal, reflected in the story being told. It marked a turning point in how Mattamy connected with new audiences and set the foundation for future campaigns centered in empathy and real-life insight.
