Real estate company Knight Frank wanted to increase job applications from ethnic minority students, reach out to Gen Z candidates and generate a rise in traffic to its graduate careers site. As a premium brand, it was often associated with the opposite of Gen Z, so needed to reposition tradition for those who would be breaking it. The answer was a social-first, influencer-backed competition for applicants to design their dream property while embracing sustainability, accessibility and social impact.

Influencers include Ebonix, a top Sims creator and DEI advocate, and Matt Smith-Wood, a design influencer. Knight Frank challenged university students to envision a real-estate solution for tomorrow’s world, with a £3,000 prize for the winning entry. The competition had its own microsite and traffic was boosted through a mix of paid and organic advertising across a number of platforms including emerging channels such as Ploy. This included behind-the-scenes stories and influencer-led content drops.

The winning entry was called Flowstate, transportable waterborne office pods designed to tackle London’s urban density problem. The campaign drew impressive results, with career site traffic up 241%, millions of TikTok views and a 6£% increase in graduate programme applications from ethnic minority students. Hannah Rolph, head of talent acquisition and early careers, said of the campaign: “We needed an idea that showcased that we are an inclusive organisation. The campaign flawlessly brought our vision to life.”