Finding your ü

Karen E. Varga
Editor

As I write this, I’m still getting back into the office groove after our annual California Spring Trials trip. And what a trip it was. We had the chance to see some of the plants featured in sister publication Ornamental Breeder in person, enjoyed some much-needed sunshine and checked in with some of our favorite industry contacts along the way. The breeders stepped up to the plate again to create some truly impressive, eye-catching and educational displays for visitors at each of the stops.

As we saw at the CAST stops, much effort is being put into showcasing why growers should be producing these new and existing varieties, and retailers should be stocking them on their shelves. In most industries, it’s no longer enough to have a quality product that’s sure to wow consumers - you’ve got to market it successfully as well.

One of the most interesting marketing efforts I saw during the trip was at the Dümmen Group (now known as Dümmen Orange) stops. Simple, yet effective, the company played to its German roots and name for its theme this year and used large ü signs outdoors to direct visitors to the two stops, labeled new varieties as “nü” and incorporated the ü into other signs and displays. When we left the company’s Edna Valley Vineyard stop in search of their second stop at the BarrelHouse Brewing Co., we had no doubt we had arrived at the correct place because of the ü signs. We’ll share more on these stops and others in an upcoming issue.

Are your marketing efforts consistent and effective? Do consumers recognize your brand and ask for it by name? Whether you feel confident that your brand is top of mind for consumers, or you think you could use a little push in the right direction, we’re sure our special section on marketing this month will have something for you. Turn to page 15 to get the scoop on Instagram, websites, logos and more.

Happy marketing!
 

Karen E. Varga, Editor
kvarga@gie.net
216-393-0290  |  Twitter: @GC_Editor