Words for the Wise

Eagle Creek Garden Center in Bainbridge, Ohio created a brand of sustainable plants to test consumer’s awareness on the topic and matched it up against Proven Winners. The brand was called Earth’s Choice and were 4.5-inch annuals sold in rice hull pots. The plants were supported by similar Proven Winners point-of-purchase material such as bench tape, signage, and specially created tags and given high traffic retail space. The program wasn’t a success due to insufficient advertising and consumer awareness. Here are some quotes from the article: “I was disappointed with how it sold,” stated owner John Bonner. “I was hoping people would respond better than they did. People aren’t going to just buy plants because they’re sustainably grown. The Proven Winners branded plants were far too appetizing.” “To date, the Proven Winners plants have sold about 22 times better than the sustainably grown Earth’s Choice plants” “This was a good experience,” Bonner says. “I think it gave us a good gauge as to where consumers are really at. Are they really looking for sustainably grown plants, or will they go the other way if they have another choice?”