It was the television event that captivated parents and children alike, the longest episode of Bluey ever. Premiering on ABC and Disney+ simultaneously, the episode titled ‘The Sign’ was met with much fanfare, but it was the episode’s marketing campaign that proved the Bluey team are expert content collaborators.

The much-anticipated episode shows the Heelers selling their family home, and in true Bluey style, it carefully explores the complicated emotions that go with it. Set against the backdrop of Uncle Rad and Aunty Frisky’s wedding, Bluey struggles with the sadness that many kids experience when moving house. In an attempt to halt the sale, she enlists the kids on a mission to take down the ‘For Sale’ sign.

Similarly to many Bluey episodes, it’s the adults watching who are hit with the biggest emotional gut punch. When Chilli admits to Bluey that she also doesn’t want to leave their beloved house – “You took your first steps in that house” – the creators appeal to the complicated journey parents also have when letting go of the family home. 

Bluey’s Domain

Appealing to parents and adult fans of the show is one of Ludo Studio’s (creators of the Emmy award-winning show) smartest marketing tools. To promote the release of the extra-long episode, the Bluey team collaborated with property marketplace Domain in a content marketing play that wowed with its creativity and ingenuity.

To coincide with the episode’s selling storyline, the Heeler house was turned into a genuine listing on the Domain website. The property was described as a “quaint, animated family home” with the agent listed as none other than Bluey character Bucky Dunstan (voiced by Rove McManus). The listing even includes a phone number that goes directly to a recorded voicemail message from Bucky.

Another standout piece of content creation is the two-minute mockumentary-style video that features Brisbane’s top real estate agents finding out they lost the Heeler listing. The clever video shows the disappointed agents calling winning agent Bucky a “dog” and lamenting what they are going to tell their kids.

After being approached by the ABC publicity team, Domain crafted a unique content marketing play that cleverly showcased both brands. Director of marketing strategy and insights Heather McGovern said of the collaboration: “The decision to collaborate was an easy one. Bluey is an iconic and much-loved show, and we recognise the special place that Bluey has in people’s hearts and we feel really honoured to have been approached. 

“Anyone who has watched the series will know how iconic the Heeler home is. The idea also aligns with what we want to achieve at Domain, which is ‘humanising the property market’. Buying and selling a home is a deeply emotional experience for Australian families, and this storyline reflects that sentiment.”

Home is where the heart is

The success of the campaign very clearly hinged on the significance of both the Heeler house and Australia’s obsession with property. Speaking to Domain about the significance of the house, series creator Joe Brumm said: “It feels like after three seasons the house itself has become a sort of fifth Heeler character.

“Some past episodes have touched on how a room can become imbued with memories and take on a life of its own. But families leave houses all the time,” Brumm said. “It happened to me as a kid around the same age Bluey and Bingo are, and then again a bit later on. I still remember it vividly.”

When it comes to the pay-off, Domain’s ingenuity shows that creative content marketing is a valuable asset to businesses. “It was incredibly rewarding to see the listing on Domain receive over 700,000 views and we had over 120,000 enquiries to the agent Bucky Dunstan,” McGovern said. 

“Our content team also created a brilliant video about the top QLD real estate agents who missed out on the listing of the year, which has gone gangbusters on social media and had over 300,000 views.”

The top dog of collaborations

This is not the first time Bluey has collaborated with an iconic brand to create exceptional PR. In February 2022, the show teamed up with Airbnb to create a real-life version of the iconic Heeler home.

Nestled in a quiet Brisbane street, one lucky family were given the opportunity to book a two-night stay in the look-alike home. The stay also included a behind-the-scenes tour of Ludo Studio and other unique Bluey experiences.

Earlier this year, Bunnings got the Bluey treatment with a partnership between the hardware superstore and the show. As part of the collaboration, Bunnings renamed seven of its stores to ‘Hammerbarn’, the name of the fictional hardware store that features in the series.

During the February activation, life-size Bluey and Bingo mascots were onsite to meet and greet fans, and children were invited to take part in themed DIY activities. Special ‘Hammerbarn’ merchandise was also available for sale at the stores.

Photography attributed to Ludo Studio, Domain and Airbnb.