NELSON GARDEN


EVERY LITTLE SEED CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

About Nelson Garden 
Nelson Garden was founded in 1933 in Blekinge, Sweden. Almost 90 years later, the company is a leader within the gardening industry, offering a wide selection of seeds, soil, bulbs, and other products for both indoor- and outdoor cultivation. In 2019, they joined forces with Nordic Garden, and became a subsidiary of Felleskjøpet. Today, Nelson Garden has extensive market presence in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, and are expanding in Germany and Poland.

Assignment & challenge
Nelson Garden’s rapid expansion required a comprehensive brand update. Make Thrive was consulted to review the sustainability strategy and reposition the Nelson Garden brand based on it. Nelson Garden needed to keep its heritage DNA intact, while at the same time secure its relevance with the younger, more urban, population. The brand development process was also intended to strengthen and unify the company culture and enhance Nelson Garden’s relationship with a larger and more diversified audience and multiple stakeholders. 

Solution
Make Thrive developed a brand platform with both emotional and existential dimensions. The mission “To make life with a garden mindful, fruitful, and wonderful” accentuates the psychological and physical benefits of gardening, while the purpose and tagline “Reconnect to nature” manifests the importance of creating stronger bonds between people and nature for the well-being of our planet. The promise “Every space is a potential garden” challenges the traditional view of a garden, from being limited to a larger outdoor setting, to also include new innovative and creative spaces.

A brand book was authored, and the visual identity was refreshed. An extensive brand implementation process was kicked off with two live broadcasts, followed by several workshops with leaders, managers, and employees in all countries. Make Thrive then created an e-learning course explaining all parameters of the brand in an interactive and intuitive way, where all employees participated. At the end of 2021, the brand was pre-launched externally through a brand anthem film, conveying the purpose, mission, and promise.

Results
The brand implementation process and the pre-launch were well received. In a survey conducted among Nelson Garden’s employees, 93% agreed they have a good understanding of the Nelson Garden brand. Furthermore, the brand strategy and implementation process has resulted in an increased enthusiasm and proudness to be part of the brand journey and a prevalent agreement that the purpose make sense to them. The external pre-launch campaign has reached more than 2,9 million people in both Sweden and Norway.

-       Sustainability strategy
-       Brand strategy
-       Brand development
-       Purpose definition
-       Purpose orchestration
-       Visual identity
-       Concept development
-       Internal launch
-       Internal implementation
-       External launch

www.nelsongarden.com

See the campaign film here!