Trace at PropTech Connect 2025
On the 3rd and 4th of September, Trace Solutions took part in PropTech Connect 2025, Europe’s largest real estate innovation event – and one that promises to shape the future of our industry.
12th January 2026
Trace’s new video ads (and how we made them)
You may have seen some very unusual ads for Trace Solutions appearing on LinkedIn and YouTube recently.
They feature SAM, an AI, interrogating various members of the Trace team about what they do and why they do it.
The premise was simple: to pit human against machine. To use AI to challenge our people and see what came out.
Because if you want to understand what makes a company different, the best way is to put its people on the spot.
"The premise was simple: to pit human against machine. To use AI to challenge our people and see what came out"
Trace Solutions
The experiment
So that’s what we did. Filmed from multiple angles using hidden cameras in a darkened room, nobody who appeared in the ads knew anything about the shoot until they walked in and met SAM for the first time.
No rehearsals. No script. No second takes where someone gets to smooth over an awkward answer.
SAM’s dialogue was entirely generated by AI – questions designed to probe, challenge, and occasionally needle. The people responding included our MD, members of the sales team, the helpdesk, business analysts and developers. Real people doing real jobs, suddenly faced with an AI that asked them to justify their existence.
We had no idea what would happen.
"SAM's dialogue was entirely generated by AI – questions designed to probe, challenge, and occasionally needle."
Trace Solutions
Why did we do this?
Because Trace is 100% employee-owned, and that matters.
When you own something, you care about it more. You don’t just clock in and deliver what’s in your job spec. You think about whether what you do actually helps the people who use the software. You care about getting it right.
Clients tell us that’s what they value most about working with us. Not that we’re the cheapest, or the flashiest, or the most full of ourselves. But that we care. That we’re human. That when something goes wrong, we fix it because it’s our problem, and no-one else’s.
The ads were an attempt to demonstrate that, not just claim it. To let people see what happens when you ask our team uncomfortable questions and don’t give them time to come up with a corporate answer.
"What happens when you ask our team uncomfortable questions and don't give them time to come up with a corporate answer?"
Trace Solutions
What’s next?
SAM is out of the bag now. She (He? It?) will be appearing in more video ads later this year, and will probably be asking even more awkward questions.
Because if AI is good at anything, it’s saying what humans are too polite to ask out loud.
And if we’re good at anything, it’s having answers that don’t sound like they came from a script.
SAM, our AI – affectionately now known as The TellyTubby, at PropTech Connect conference 2025
"SAM is out of the bag now. She (He? It?) will be appearing in more video ads later this year"
Trace Solutions
Watch all the ads here: YouTube Playlist
If you’d like to know more about Trace property management software, please call us, email us, or use the contact form below.
We can provide demonstrations online or in person, at your convenience.