Beyond the Theory: Building Real Campaigns with Generative AI
Christy Fickert and Justin Jones opened “Beyond the Theory” by showcasing a playful AI-generated theme song, instantly setting a lighthearted tone. They emphasized that AI, especially tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot, can be leveraged in the multifamily real estate sector to enhance marketing, streamline operations, and foster creativity.
They began with an interactive audience poll that captured varied sentiments toward AI—some felt overwhelmed, others curious, and a few deeply engaged. Christy stressed that both enthusiasm and apprehension are valid; AI evolves rapidly, and even advanced users can feel behind. Justin added a vendor-side perspective, pointing out that with proper training and continuous adoption, onsite teams can build confidence—and cited a Swift Bunny survey: about two-thirds of operational staff are open to new tech, and 75% see it as beneficial to their work. He also referenced a Stanford–Accenture study: companies that deeply integrate generative AI see over twice the value and significant reduction in collaborator needs.
Turning theory into practice, the presenters introduced the PRAE framework—Planning, Reviewing, Assessing, Executing—as an AI-powered complement to the traditional Four P’s of marketing (People, Price, Product, Promotion). They walked participants through a live demo using “Alexa Webster,” a sample community:
Plan: Input property data (e.g., vacancy, floor plans, resident sentiment, market comps) into ChatGPT to map campaign goals and analyze trends.
Review: Extract and aggregate around 10–30 reviews via ChatGPT to detect emotional themes—“trust,” “belonging,” “cleanliness”—which then shape messaging.
Assess: Have AI evaluate copy, CTAs, and competitor positioning using specific prompts that push it to enrich emotional tone and authenticity. Example outcomes included selling points like "your phone is your key" or CTAs like "start your move-in story."
Execute: Plug messaging into tools like Gamma to create polished presentations, email templates, social posts, and even 30-second TikTok scripts tailored for demographics (Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers).
The pair highlighted the power of custom GPTs, showing how brand-specific Agents can be built by uploading brand guidelines, websites, legal docs, and tone preferences—then used to generate consistent messaging across social, ads, or owner reports.
Throughout, Christy and Justin emphasized AI as a creative partner, not a replacement. They encouraged attendees to “iterate, not automate,” and to use AI for efficiency so humans can focus on the “why”—the emotional storytelling, strategic thinking, and creative nuance. Highlight reel quotes included: “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” and “You’re the humans in the room—use AI to make you smarter and more human.”
Key logistical tips surfaced:
Use only public information in AI prompts or sanitize proprietary data.
Establish clear AI policies to define what can and cannot be uploaded (no PII).
Build an internal AI consortium—a cross-functional team to evangelize AI, combat bias, and test tools.
Encourage company-wide adoption by naming an internal AI expert, even if they’re not a tech-native.
Join peer groups like the AI Exchange to compare strategies, successes, and fails.
By the end, the session had shifted from theory to tangible action. Attendees practiced using ChatGPT to craft campaign messaging and script a 30-second video. Christy and Justin closed by celebrating the creative spark AI can ignite: “It helps you unlock what makes you human—and that is the edge we need.”
Here is the replay:
Here is the PowerPoint: