Practice Areas

Consumer

 

The AeroGarden: Planting the Seed for a New Housewares Category

 

Challenge

In early 2006, Aerogrow turned to CRT/tanaka to help launch AeroGarden, the world's first indoor kitchen garden. Research indicated that hot button food issues from obesity to organics had fueled Americans' interest in preparing fresher, healthier foods and that the consumer's ongoing love affair with technology was showing no sign of slowing. However, several challenges could have derailed the launch, including dated perceptions of hydroponics, competition for limited countertop space and unconfirmed retail distribution prior to launch.

 

Solution

CRT/tanaka used a multi-pronged pre-launch campaign to reach culinary influentials, media and potential retailers in advance of the February 2006 launch. In addition to traditional tactics such as trade show presence and spokesperson opportunities, CRT/tanaka asked the nation's top 100 culinary experts to beta-test the product and generate buzz among a close-knit community that shares its “must-haves” with colleagues. We also launched the AeroGarden at a high-visibility culinary venue. To give the event an unusual twist, we grew all the food used for the special chef “tastings” on the AeroGarden Wall Farm, a 15-unit display set up in our New York office.  The food was used for all the hors’ d’oeuvres served at the launch event.  

 

Results

In less than 2 years the AeroGarden has earned more than 1,825 placements, garnering 1.2 billion media impressions. Top-tier media coverage has included: “Good Morning America,” "The View," “Today” show, the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Time, Reader's Digest, Redbook and Prevention as well as major market dailies such as The New York Times, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Atlanta Journal Constitution and Chicago Tribune.  Influential business media, such as CNBC, have positioned AeroGrow International as a “company to watch.”  AeroGrow continues to gain shelf space with key traditional and online retailers. From one catalog (Frontgate) and one culinary chain (Sur La Table) at launch, retail distribution has grown to an anticipated 4,300+ storefronts for Q4, ’07, more than five times as many outlets as the same time in 2006.  With Amazon naming the AeroGarden one of the “Most Wished For Products” two years in a row, sales keep climbing.  New media, such as Treehugger, Gearlog and Daily Candy have given positive product reviews and generated buzz about The AeroGarden. Several media blogs, such as Jane magazine, chronicled the growth of their AeroGardens with week-by-week photos.