Garden.com, an e-commerce site that
sells gardening supplies, on Thursday launched a multi-media advertising
campaign, whose tagline is “Everything New Under the Sun.”
“Our research has shown that spring is the best time for us to acquire
gardening customers — customers with whom we can forge lifetime
relationships,” says Lisa Sharples, chief marketing officer and co-founder
of Garden.com Inc (GDEN).
“So we make our most significant investments in marketing now because as a
company, we’ve always believed spending valuable dollars when it’s most
relevant is the smartest thing we can do to ensure continued, substantial
growth.”
The campaign, which begins Feb. 21, will include network television and
cable spots, a catalog, and a billboard displaying a living topiary shaped
like the company name. Its aim is to position Garden.com as the best
resource for people interested in gardening. Spending was not disclosed.
The six television ads will each feature a different plant begging to be
the one the customer takes home.
Garden.com is also rolling out a print magazine called Garden
Escape, published through its partnership with PRIMEDIA. The magazine will be structured
as a companion to the Web site, and is aimed at driving traffic. It will
leverage the Web site’s expert content producers, and is expected to be
available by subscription.
The company is also trying out other customer acquisition tools during the
big growing season. It’ll be distributing and promoting a CD-ROM-based Web
site, participating as a SkyMall
Merchant, attending flower and garden shows, and mailing out a newsletter
and a catalog.