Edward N. Hoffman, 79, an advertising executive who advised major builders, developers and financial institutions nationwide, died April 23. A recent resident of Chicago’s North Side, Mr. Hoffman advised several key players in Chicago-area real estate as well as developing the marketing strategy for such landmark properties as Marina City, said his son, E. Norman Hoffman II. “He advised the largest banks in the country,” his son said. “He really was an industry guru.” Mr. Hoffman created two marketing campaigns that are in standard use in the real estate industry today, said his son. The “triple tier pricing system” involves a series of incentives for customers designed to encourage them to buy a property early in its development to realize a cost savings. A second program, the “one-day home sell-a-thon,” involves a “quasi-auction” approach in which buyers work on a first-come, first-served basis to purchase a property in one day. A Navy veteran of World War II, Mr. Hoffman was a graduate of the University of North Carolina and attended Columbia Law School. An accomplished pianist and jazz buff, Mr. Hoffman had a 12,000-album collection. In addition to his son, Mr. Hoffman is survived by his wife, Lola Manning Hoffman; a daughter, Diane Parker Walsh; two sisters, Flora Jean Jacobson and Ruth Sisisky; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held in approximately two weeks.
