That attitude helped Front Porch win nine awards (four gold and five silver) in the 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 50+ Housing Council. Seven were for marketing, including best print ad, best brochure, best direct mail campaign and best Web site.

The winners included pieces for Front Porch’s new communities Luma in Mexico and Walnut Village in Anaheim, CA, as well as regional support ads for existing communities.

The goal of the regional branding ads, Ratta tells STS, is to give "a sense of authenticity. This is a very savvy group full of life experiences. Their stories are amazingly compelling, and they want to live with other interesting people."

The ads spotlight residents who are "rich contributors to life," Ratta says. One features a woman who is an avid birdwatcher, with the headline "Home is where your life is." The copy tells older adults to bring their lives with them—their hobbies, history and passions—and "continue adding new experiences every day."

Another ad features a resident billed as an "avid explorer" and invites readers to think about "Next." "What will you do, see and discover next? This is the spirit of retirement," the ad states. Both ads use the branding statement: "Front Porch Communities. This Is My Retirement."

In choosing the residents to be featured, Ratta says they looked for individuals who don’t necessarily look 15 years younger than the target market, but are doing things that are 15 years younger. "Their attitude and energy are ageless," she explains.

"We believe that our communities are as unique as the people who live in them," she adds. Each community is located in a unique setting, which allows a certain kind of experience and attracts certain types of individuals. "It’s all about the experience," she says.

The experience is what’s attracting people to Front Porch’s Luma active adult community in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. The community is the first of its kind in Mexico and has attracted attention from American and Canadian older adults looking to retire there. Luma’s Web site won a gold award in the NAHB competition.

"The Web site gives us tons of leads," Ratta says. However, many of the sales are coming from people who have vacationed or owned property in Mexico before. Ads and marketing materials reflect this—they look more like ads for a vacation destination than an active adult community. Luma opens in October and has been selling consistently despite the economy, Ratta says.

For Walnut Village in Anaheim, CA, Front Porch tapped actor and singer Shirley Jones to bring a "fresh California sensibility" to the community, Ratta says. The 74-year-old appears in direct mail and advertisements and will sing at the community’s opening in October.

Walnut Village is an urban design with three major outdoor areas including a town square, library, performing arts center, serenity garden and putting green. It’s a CCRC with everything from independent living to skilled nursing and memory support. A large focus will be on helping residents age in place by receiving care and services in their homes. The community won a gold award in the category for Best Small (up to 200 units) CCRC on the Boards.