Marketing and Promotions

PMA is a marketing-orientated company ensuring that the needs of the customer form the basis of all decisions and actions. Our marketing strategies are based on doing the best for each breeder and realising the potential of each individual variety. PMA's primary objective is to realise profit thorough customer satisfaction.

Marketing your new variety begins with the careful selection of growers to trial. PMA operates on a network approach when licensing plant growers. This allows us to match the plants to the most suitable growers and licensees throughout Australia, and also agents internationally.

This has advantages for all parties. The growers and licensees are offered plants which best compliment their existing product range and with which they are most likely to succeed. PMA invests a lot of time travelling and visiting growers throughout Australia and agents internationally to inspect their facilities to fully understand their individual strengths and capabilities.

PMA may work with specific growers to develop market penetration strategies, with product launch and promotion techniques devised together. Once the product has become established within the marketplace PMA may then work towards developing a broader licensing strategy whilst taking care not to saturate the market and reduce the new plant to a commodity item. Our aim is to establish your new plant firmly within the marketplace for many years ahead, not simply saturate the market within the first couple of years and then see sales decrease.

PMA may licence one or multiple growers in each state to ensure we gain maximum market exposure. Each grower will have different sales channels and cross over will not occur. PMA selects growers to cover avenues to retail garden centres, chain stores and landscape markets. This ensures the plant has different paths to reach the end consumer.

Breeders can rest easy knowing their variety is part of a strong portfolio of carefully selected plants. This portfolio includes some of the best new varieties in the world today. We find growers are keen to trial PMA varieties as they know that plants in our portfolio are solid and any new introductions will have considerable merit.

Advertising

PMA uses a different marketing strategies, and evaluates each plant on its own merits. A strategy that is useful for one plant may be unsuitable for another. We have developed close relationships with the horticultural media in all forms. We are in constant contact with journalists, national magazines, newspapers, landscapers, radio and TV to ensure coverage both within the industry and to the buying public. We aim to provide open and honest communication to all media representatives, and make it easy for them to access information and photographs.

Below are some samples of recent advertising - click each one to enlarge:

PMA displays new products at green expos and leading industry events such Hortivations and the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. We find these are excellent opportunities to meet with growers, breeders, buyers and industry leaders. Such events are valuable forums to discuss products and develop relationships. We also regularly visit similar events overseas and keep in close contact with our overseas agents and their marketing of our varieties in their territories.

PMA has strived to become a leader in designing and producing labels and point of sale material. PMA works directly with respected plant label companies. Over time, we have developed a signature style for our labels that promotes the best features of each variety and gives the consumer clear and concise product information. Our artwork and design is all done in house by experienced professionals. We carefully consider promotional literature, point-of-sale signage, display items and all facets of advertising to produce the best possible outcome for your variety. Below is a selection of our current labels:

In addition, PMA also provides quality printed support material and information to growers, retailers and landscapers. We are always happy to receive feedback as to how we can improve our service and thus, improve results for the breeder.

Photography

Good photography is critical to all new varieties. The more images available, the better chance of giving agents and growers a sound understanding of how the plant grows and presents itself. Images can be helped to promote the major characteristics of a plant. For example if a plant has red flowers and fantastic autumn foliage then good images will help sell the plant to a potential grower or agent, and in turn, the consumer.

If possible, it is best to provide a variety of shots at different stages of growth and development. This also allows us to provide growers with a better understanding of the production process, consider transport issues and collect details for possible PBR protection.

Clear, focussed images are a key to success. High resolution images are also a requirement of the print media. If you're not sure how to take these or would like assistance please contact PMA as we would be happy to guide you.