Lawn-care company TruGreen launched an integrated marketing campaign on February 28, using direct mail, a sweepstakes, a revamped website, pop-up stores in malls and TV ads. The company worked with AOR Publicis Dallas on the effort, with the goal of refreshing its reputation and improving the sale of service packages.
“We’re trying to update the brand,” said Philip Dobbs, CMO of TruGreen. “We want to make it more contemporary and relevant in order to build the brand in time to sell our service packages for the season.”
The revamped website is “simpler to navigate” with “simpler presentation,” said Dobbs. TruGreen, a subsidiary of ServiceMaster, generates a large portion of its sales from consumers who fill out lead forms and do research online.
“Telephone is still our most effective way to sell, but we want to be able to allow customers to buy digitally as well,” he said.
The company designed the direct mail portion of the campaign to shift the conversation from “weed kill” to “yard enjoyment,” said Dobbs. Consumers in its database will receive scratch-and-sniff postcards that smell like freshly cut grass. TruGreen will also send gate fold and three-piece self-mailers to customers in the next week to 10 days, said Dobbs.
The campaign also includes a sweepstakes that encourages consumers to register on the company website to win weekly prizes or a grand prize of $25,000.
TruGreen will also build mall kiosks in the next 10 days. The pop-up stores will be open during the 10-to-12-week period when the company sells the bulk of its service packages.
“We’re trying to intersect consumers when they’re in the mall shopping,” said Dobbs. “We’ll be collecting e-mail and phone numbers so we can connect and continue to give them the opportunity to buy our services.”
“TruGreen has multiple touch points,” said Shon Rathbone, executive creative director at Publicis Dallas. “Phone, technicians in the field, as well as the Internet and direct — that’s how the company stays close to the TruGreen customer.”
Rathbone said Publicis Dallas began working with TruGreen last April to develop the creative for this campaign, which is in its second incarnation. He also said a “robust social media component” will be in place before the end of summer. He would not provide specifics on that aspect of the campaign.
TruGreen is running two 30-second commercials on national network news and premium cable TV. The spots will focus on TruGreen’s shrub care service and will reinforce the company’s customized lawn-care approach.
