When LV Collective launched “The Best Four Podcast” in July 2024, it had no idea it would become one of its most powerful brand builders for its Rambler student housing properties.
The real estate investment firm launched it at The University of Austin at Texas and The Ohio State University to speak directly to three key audiences navigating student housing decisions: incoming freshmen; parents of these incoming students who are deeply involved in their housing decisions; and current students looking to move off-campus or searching for where to live next.
Project Details
Organization: LV Collective
Location: Austin, Texas, and Columbus, Ohio
Target Audience: Students
Campaign: July to December 2024
The Best Four campaign also was designed to meet each segment where they already are: scrolling TikTok and Instagram, listening to podcasts while waiting for class, or browsing Facebook parent groups for advice.
According to LV Collective, The Best Four also didn’t just inform, it engaged students. It also covered every kind of housing on and near campus, not just Rambler communities. Season One focused on student life at UT Austin, covering dorms, off-campus apartments, and Greek housing. Season Two moved to Ohio State with the same student-first, story-driven format. Guests included student leaders, campus influencers, and recent graduates who shared their housing experiences.
While backed by Rambler, The Best Four was positioned as an independent brand. The podcast was produced in-house by LV Collective with a total hard cost of less than $500, including a $100 website template and a $40 monthly fee for hosting. The return? LV Collective says it had massive reach and meaningful digital engagement at scale. At Rambler ATX, it helped drive early momentum and renewals, with the property exceeding the prior year’s preleasing performance by 6 percentage points. At Rambler Columbus, the podcast supported its first lease-up.
“What started as a scrappy attempt to generate TikTok content is now a two-camera, high-production show with nearly 1.5 million views across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. We’ve recorded three full seasons—15 episodes in total—and Season Three, filmed in Tempe, Arizona, is now streaming. But the numbers only tell part of the story,” says Kendall Guinn, chief marketing officer at LV Collective. “We’ve watched our host grow from reading questions off a notepad to navigating raw, unfiltered conversations with confidence and heart. We’ve had guests cry on camera. We’ve had students, parents—even prospects—say they felt seen. That kind of vulnerability isn’t easy to create, but it’s magnetic when it happens.”
Beyond the brand boost, Guinn adds the podcast has had value for LV Collective’s investments team.
“It’s given us a new way to learn about markets, spotlight our assets, humanize the Rambler brand, and differentiate in a sea of sameness,” she says.
