Dobbies’ brief was a real challenge. They wanted ‘an agency to help take the business forward’ by changing the very definition of what it means to be a garden centre- a total retail and destination experience.
Therefore, our competition was not only other garden centres, but retail parks, department stores and day-out destinations.
The first stage was to create a brand proposition. The thought was ‘the wonder of nature and the pleasure of shopping: double helpings of happiness’. We took the proposition and encapsulated it in the simple but powerful line: ‘it’s in our nature’.
It’s a big line, but that’s OK, because it’s a big brand thought for a company with ambition. It’s rational – describing what Dobbies is; emotional – Dobbies is more than a store, it’s an experience; and aspirational – customers aren’t just buying plants, they’re buying a better way of life.
With this in place, the next challenge was to build on it, to create a communications campaign that made the brand thought live. We knew we had to come up with an emotional connection with the consumer. We wanted to say: You love nature. We love nature.
To that end our work across all media attempts to capture the passion that nature inspires. So we see everyone from professional gardeners to happy amateurs, old hands to kids planting their first seeds. With the passion comes a healthy dose of humour. The effect is classy, witty, vibrant work. This powerful lifestyle campaign takes the brand through the line and we’re already surpassing sales targets.
