Brochures have got to get real

CityLiving:  Dump the shiny happy people in sales brochures, writes Edel Morgan.

"Join the beautiful people" urges the glossy brochure for Menolly's Beaupark apartment and townhouse development in Baldoyle in north county Dublin.

Whether or not one has to be beautiful in order to join them isn't mentioned. It doesn't say whether it's ok to live there, for example, if you're merely quite attractive or plain but pleasant on the eye. Would the developers accept your money if you were downright ugly and, God forbid, ruining the look of the place with your presence?

Not only are the people who will live at Beaupark beautiful but, apparently, everything about the development is beautiful too. The front cover depicts a sylph-like creature gazing at a butterfly. Inside describes the beautiful views etc to the point where the overuse of the "b" word and the relentless photos of fabulous twentysomething couples and brooding sea views make you long for a picture of an ugly blot on the landscape or a sad, plain looking loner wandering around the grounds.

If Eileen Ford only knew how many amazing looking young men and women live at Beaupark, she wouldn't need a talent scout. And if everywhere was like Beaupark, there would be no need for relationship counsellors. All the couples there live in domestic bliss and, despite being mainly first-time buyers, money is not an issue. They are successful enough to afford plasma TVs and state-of-the-art sound systems.

So why is it necessary to bombard buyers with images of shiny happy people living in shiny apartments? Because it's no longer about selling a house, it's about flogging a lifestyle. Once upon a time people were so grateful to have their own four walls and garden that no hard sell was required but, now, given the predicted glut of new apartments and townhouses, developers have to lure their target market.

This involves inventing an image for a development - which may or may not bear any resemblance to the reality. Then a cast of characters is assembled. If the scheme is aimed at first-time buyers or young professionals, the brochures will show other young people eating al fresco, yachting (even though the nearest expanse of sea might be miles away), entertaining and relaxing at home - all the while in a state of permanent ecstasy. If the development is for older people trading down, the brochure might well show contented well heeled looking golfers or a middle-aged couple walking their dog along the beach.

Few brochures show children unless they're impossibly cute and up to no mischief. You won't get a photograph of kids getting under everyone's feet in the lobby or playing with the lifts.

An ad for one development in Castleknock shows model Glenda Gilson. History doesn't relate whether she actually lives there or not but, if not, is it wrong to cruelly raise the hopes of so many young men? What if you move in to a scheme and it's nothing like how it looked in the brochure and Glenda is nowhere to be seen? Can you sue for misleading advertising?

On most brochures there will be a disclaimer on the back which will invariably say that the "particulars contained in this document were prepared from preliminary plans and specifications and are intended only as a guide . . . the particulars do not form part of any offer or contract and should not be relied upon as statements or representation of facts . . . text, photographs, plans and site plans are for guideline only . . . "

Some developers aren't bothering with twee images of happiness, fun, butterflies and beauty to attract young people, they are using revulsion tactics instead.

"Leave home and let the parents get on with own thing" is the ad for Albany Homes' Gorse Hill in Kinsealy. All very well except this "own thing" doesn't involve bridge, needlepoint or gardening. The hazy image that accompanies these ads - which would have most young twentysomethings running to their nearest mortgage lender - hints of bondage and other risque behaviour and shows various items of skimpy clothing scattered around a shag pile carpet.

One of the few photographs of an ordinary looking person I have seen is of a frazzled grey haired man beside the caption: "Tired of paying tax on your property income. Looking for a tax break? Look no further." The ad doesn't need to pretend that the development is Utopia . It's purpose is purely to alert investors to the financial possibilities of owning at tax incentive development Brookfield Hall in Limerick .

But are property advertisers any more guilty than other advertisers of glamorising the truth, and making their product as appealing as possible, even if it means bending the truth a little?

Probably not, but wouldn't they be better off focusing on the real strengths of a development rather than the imagined? Would there be any need to dazzle buyers with glossy blondes if developers were confident that the apartments could stand on their own merits. If apartment design has come on as much as we're led to believe, wouldn't it make more sense to concentrate on the spaciousness of the apartments, the number of safe play areas for children or the wealth of nearby facilities.