Turfcare, New Product Launch

The Customer

A UK-based manufacturer of professional turf maintenance equipment founded over 200 years ago in Norfolk. Today it has 400+ employees at the UK facility with three similar sized sister sites in the USA. There are four brand names in the UK product portfolio, each aimed at a specific market sector.

The Problem

This traditional company had an excellent reputation for high quality manufactured goods but after some research had found its product image was viewed as dated and tired in the marketplace. An innovative new product was on the verge of completion, which would ensure the future safety of the UK-based factory, only if sales were successful. Failure may lead to the closure of the plant and the transfer of manufacturing to one of the US sites.

The Solution

A two-fold marketing strategy was formulated. First, it was essential to introduce the new product to existing and emerging markets. Second, it was necessary to revive a flagging old-fashioned brand by re-packaging it as fresh, contemporary and cutting edge.

The execution of the campaign was centred on a product ‘reveal’ at the main European industry trade show. It was based on a modern, automotive product launch using dramatic stand designs and a full audio visual production. For six weeks leading up to the show, an integrated multi-lingual marketing campaign gave ‘teaser’ images of the product without showing the machine in its entirety. Dramatic images were commissioned by a professional photographer to show the product in a striking environment.

Promotional items were also sent to key customers to hint at what was coming. VIP’s were invited to an exclusive preview and test drive session with results being ‘leaked’ to the press. The marketing plan also utilised a mixture of email marketing, phased direct mail pieces and timely advertising campaigns. This was also backed up by targeted PR activity.

The Results

The sales team had been targeted with delivering orders for 40 units in the three months after the launch, which was also the final quarter of the financial year. With the help of the

Business Vitamins marketing campaign, the orders received exceeded 100 units.

The product was given the ‘Best New Product’ award for 2007 in an online vote by consumers, undertaken by a respected industry magazine.

The project also came in 14% under budget.