The Grass is Greener
It seems like it happens overnight - lawns everywhere have turned green. This time of year also coincides with advertising from Scotts for lawn fertilizer. The "voice of Scotts," Ashton Richie, is everywhere on the radio extolling the virtues of Scotts 4-Step Lawn Care Program. Richie, an agronomist by trade, is credited with developing the program and getting consumers to buy more fertilizer than needed. (Twice a year is more than enough.)
There is a lot of green for Scotts - the dominant category player by far. Total sales of $2.98 billion - that's a lot of product. Their product is available everywhere as they are able to dictate terms and policies with their distribution partners. Sixty percent of their sales come from just three big box retailers - Wal Mart, Home Depot and Lowe's. The classic case of the rich get richer.
Scotts doesn't rest on its laurels. Now known as Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, they continue to change the way the game is being played. The latest product innovation is Water Smart technology. They extend the line of water smart products with Scotts grass seed with Water Smart technology - premium coated grass seed. It's ideal for the less than passionate gardeners. You simply don't have to water the seed as often. They are also big into organic fertilizers - over 60 varieties. What drives this zeal to excel - gaining an increasingly larger share of the $7.5 billion U.S. lawn and garden consumable market?
Scotts enjoys well over 60% market share in the fertilizer segment and they want more. Scotts has shaped their company into a house of brands that serves almost every possible lawn and garden niche. From their Osmocote brand of slow release fertilizers to Smith & Hawken for must-have garden accessories. Ortho and Round-Up are poised on retailer shelves to rid any weed possible. Imagine the power that Scotts exerts over retail with this many great brands. They are truly the Procter & Gamble of the garden category. The grow-it-yourself influence is well served by Scotts.
For those without a green thumb and the time or desire to garden, they even provide garden and lawn service for you through Scotts Lawn Service located in 140 markets. You'll see their trucks painted in the unmistakable Scotts color palette. Have a lawn or gardening question? Search out askashton.com and they submit your question to Ashton Richie, or most likely, an educated stand-in. The Scotts answer man to the rescue.
Scotts is even into the social online media space with communities, blogs and forums. They go deeper with an online gardening community called plantersplace.com. It's a great place for information and inspiration. It is nourished, so to speak, by Osmocote.
Scotts is a great example of a brand that continually changes the game in order to dominate a category. Whether it is through acquisition to fill gaps in their line, product innovation and/or extensions, Scotts is playing to win. They see far more green than just the green in your grass!
