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Evolving to Meet the Changing Consumer

Evolving to Meet the Changing Consumer

Growing with the newest generation of lawn owners and gardeners

the landscape is changing when it comes to lawns and gardens, fueled in many respects by generational differences. baby boomers, for example, have a view of lawn care and gardening that varies greatly from that of millennials.

scottsmiracle-gro is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap and deliver lawn and garden solutions that meet the needs—and interests —of both.

“Different generations have different sensibilities when it comes to their interests in gardening and how they might approach lawn care,” says the company’s Chief Digital and marketing services officer Patti Ziegler. “this has created tremendous opportunities for us. We continue to serve those who know us and rely upon us to help them enjoy their greenspaces, while at the same time evolving for the up-and-coming homeowner or gardener. it’s all about providing products and solutions that align with what the consumer cares about most, regardless of where he or she might fall on the generational spectrum.”

millennials, Ziegler says, represent the next big generation of lawn and garden consumers. they are today’s 21- to 37-year-olds who now surpass the population of baby boomers. here are some examples of their headspace, based on research conducted or obtained by scottsmiracle-gro: • they care about space and how best to maximize it, both inside the home and out. the formal dining room might lend way to the kids’ playroom, or even an indoor gardening area. • Food security is important—they want to know where their food comes from and how it was grown.

• the enjoyment of food is an experience in and of itself—hence the “foodie” concept. • Gardening to a millennial is less about exercise—which is important to a baby boomer—and more a form of relaxation, a break in their busy week or day. • millennials love their hobbies, and that passion often can be channeled into gardening. on the other hand, they do not feel they have sufficient time for lawn and garden care. • millennials are more likely to have herb gardens, while older generations are more likely to have flower gardens. • home ownership is on the rise for millennials, who are placing pride and importance on creating and maintaining healthy and attractive outdoor areas.

by gaining this deep understanding of millennials and what drives them, scottsmiracleGro has been able to focus its research and development efforts—as well as its marketing initiatives—in ways to nurture a new generation of loyal customers.

“this manifests itself in many ways,” Ziegler says. “We’re giving them more of what they need to be successful with their lawns and gardens, in less time and on their terms.”

innovAtive firsts

Dwight Scott, son of Scotts Lawn Seed founder O.M. Scott, realized the importance of wellcared-for lawns in American life. Because of his vision, Scotts Lawn Seed began offering weed-free “clean seed” mail orders to replace the haymow sweepings that had been used to seed lawns until this point. Because traditional weed control products did not yet exist, this change offered an immediate solution to weed-choked lawns. Consider the company’s aggressive push into organics through products like nature’s Care® organic soils and ortho® bug products with essential oils. scottsmiracle-Gro is also partnering with bonnie Plants®, the leader in vegetable and herb plants, and moving into “Foodie Fresh” varieties, a precursor to further innovation in this space. together, these innovations simplify the gardening experience and make success even easier to achieve.

“this plays into that growing interest in edibles and desire by millennials to know where their food comes from,” Ziegler says. “Plus, we’re making it easier to achieve success, whether you want a greener and thicker lawn or a bountiful harvest.”

It just so happens that millennials are a generation that has very little training or education in lawn and garden. but when they do become homeowners, research shows they place a tremendous amount of pride on a healthy lawn and garden.

to help, scottsmiracle-Gro is leading the way by leveraging technology and digital channels to deliver tips and educational information, from planting to maintenance and effective water use.

MoMents of growth

1868 An industry is born as Orlando McLean Scott founds his company to help farmers attain weed-free fields. 1879 Already one of the country’s best distributors of farm equipment, O.M. Scott begins selling farm seed by mail.

“there will always be in-store experts available to help consumers be successful gardeners or guide their projects,” Ziegler says. “but we also recognize that consumers—particularly millennials—appreciate technology and digital support. that’s why we are innovating with apps to provide expertise at their fingertips and are doing even more with social media to express our brands.” (you can read more about the scottsmiracle-Gro technology solutions on Page 13.)

Indoor gardening also is on the rise with millennials and core consumers alike, with interest growing among those who don’t currently keep indoor plants. What's holding them back? the two biggest obstacles are lack of adequate space and lighting. hydroponics—the process of growing plants in water—can eliminate the obstacles. And the reality is, there is an appetite among consumers for more hydroponic gardening, as research shows that nearly 40 percent of u.s. households are extremely or very interested in it. but that same research also indicates people often don’t know where to start or where to buy hydroponic products.

scottsmiracle-Gro is taking indoor gardening and hydroponics mainstream with countertop hydroponic gardening systems—such as those under the AeroGarden® brand—available in many retail stores and online. It also has larger systems available and has even broadened its reach to the commercial hydroponics growers through its subsidiary hawthorne Gardening Company.

“there really are two big takeaways,” Ziegler says. “First, across all age groups, people are very interested in gardening and lawn care. nearly half of all u.s. households participate in food gardening alone. second, consumers have differing attitudes and motivations when it comes to lawns and gardens based on their generation. our goal is to serve the core consumers of today while doing the right things to cultivate that next generation of consumers.” m

innovAtive firsts

After incorporating as O.M. Scott & Sons Co. in 1914, the company released the first high-performance turf varieties for lawns in 1916. These varieties used natural selection-style breeding to enhance color, resistance to disease and pests, and tolerance against wear-and-tear, among other traits.

innovAtive firsts

In 1928, O.M. Scott & Sons Co. recognized that grass has special nutritional needs by launching the firstever fertilizer designed specifically for lawns— Turf Builder. It fostered both instant and sustained greening using a combination of quick- and slowrelease formulas.

1907 O.M.’s son, Dwight Scott, recognizes the importance of lawns in the American lifestyle and encourages his father to sell grass seed by mail. 1914 The O.M. Scott & Sons Company is incorporated.

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