Cockadoodle DOO had established a strong market presence in lawn and garden centers, where avid gardeners readily pay premium prices for high quality products.

However, if Cockadoodle DOO was to succeed in the price-sensitive mass-market environment of big-box retail stores, consumers would have to be given compelling reasons to pay almost triple the price for organic lawn fertilizer compared to the leading brands of chemical fertilizers.

• Overcome the perception that organic lawn care products are less effective than chemicals.
• Increase consumer awareness of the safety benefits of organic fertilizer versus chemicals.
• Promote Cockadoodle DOO as the best alternative to chemicals.
• Strengthen Cockadoodle DOO's packaging and retail presence.

Through research, MicroArts identified three compelling concepts that would motivate consumers to pay a premium and choose Cockadoodle DOO organic fertilizer over leading chemical brands. The first was family safety, which was communicated with the line "Totally safe for kids and pets," and was intended to raise doubts that chemicals weren't. The second statement was "Good because it's organic. Great because it works," to help overcome the misconception that organic fertilizers weren't as effective as chemicals. And the third was the concept of social responsibility and making a positive difference, which was communicated in a playful manner through the new slogan "DOO. The right thing."

Once the messaging had been developed, MicroArts set about creating a demand generation campaign to build awareness and drive consumers into the Lowe's stores. Aggressive media relations, supported by local radio advertising and targeted direct mail, sent consumers into Lowe's specifically looking for Cockadoodle DOO. Once inside, they were greeted by the comprehensive array of point of sale materials MicroArts had developed, including a pallet wrap, header cards, tear sheets and shelf talkers, to reinforce the key messages and communicate the benefits of Cockadoodle DOO in both English and Spanish in accordance with Lowe's bilingual marketing requirements.

MicroArts also redesigned the packaging for Cockadoodle DOO's complete line of products to reflect the new messaging and incorporate bilingual translation throughout. To clearly differentiate between individual products within the line, MicroArts created a color-coded packaging system that quickly identified each product's function while still promoting the strong yellow identity of the overarching Cockadoodle DOO brand. Although it was a critical new marketing initiative, supporting the test in Lowe's could not be at the expense of ongoing activities in established markets. In addition to the Lowe's-specific materials, MicroArts also created advertising and point of sale materials for independent garden centers, and a new trade show booth for use in regional garden shows, as well as developing an entirely new web site with links to local retailers and sophisticated e-commerce capabilities to serve customers outside the company's core distribution area.