Targeting garden centres close to new developments, it aimed to give these new gardeners confidence and build a relationship of trust with them over time.
For this Porters came up with a new brand, Happy Plants, intended to be simple, cheerful and memorable. It developed an eye-catching range of premium marketing materials, from bespoke care cards to handles, banners and bench tape, and conducted research to ensure that these appealed to its target markets.
The revamped product presentation has already boosted sales in its first year, with retailers reporting customers choosing branded stock over unbranded counterparts.
As well as shelf appeal, the product range is designed to maximise garden performance, even for the novice, and features well-fed, large-cell packs, ready planted containers, brightly coloured pots and larger pot bedding, alongside standard nursery lines.
Porters intends that the recognisable brand should generate repeat sales once customers have had success with one Happy Plants product, benefiting the garden centre in turn and making the proposition a more attractive one to other retailers.
In its first year, the brand has helped Porters increase its garden centre portfolio from 30 to 250 stores, representing a £1m rise and an 11 per cent higher margin than its previous business model.
Highly commended
Herbilicious, Love Fresh Herbs Ceres PR/Vitacress
Finalists
Plant of the Moment, HTA
The Story of Phalaenopsis, Double H Nurseries
Trends, Ball Colegrave
