Jan 13, 2006

P. Allen Smith and PW PartnerSource: Proven Winners

In an effort to help consumers develop greater gardening success, P. Allen Smith and Proven Winners (PW) have developed a new partnership. According to PW, “Allen has become the country’s most influential gardening expert with consumers, and his media reach continues to grow substantially each year. He has worked for years to bring the beauty of and appreciation for gardening to increasing numbers of consumers. Proven Winners has worked for years to bring consumers greater success and more beautiful gardens through the best possible plants.”

“The goal of both Proven Winners and myself is to inspire consumers to have greater gardening success,” said Smith. “By working together, we can create even greater synergies and more successful consumers – and as a result, more beautiful gardens.”

“The vision behind the partnership with Allen and Proven Winners is to offer an unparalleled combination of ideas, inspiration, know how, superior products and simple gardening solutions to consumers. Allen and Proven Winners want to make gardening more successful – and more inspiring,” said PW.

“More knowledge, more beautiful gardens and most important, greater inspiration to create a beautiful home living environment” is the goal of the partnership, said Marshall Dirks, director of marketing and PR for Proven Winners. “Allen and Proven Winners believe that outdoor living – and outdoor decorating – are important aspects in a healthy, happy life. Allen and Proven Winners hope to inspire gardeners to have more success and a more beautiful garden.”

Allen’s media reach has increased significantly over the past few years. People Magazine recently called Smith the “gardening guru.” He has also begun making regular appearances on NBC’s “Today Show” and AOL. Smith and Proven Winners will work together to provide plants and gardening ideas in all of the media in which Smith appears, said PW. That media includes:

• “P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home” – a weekly PBS TV series
• “P. Allen Smith Gardens” – a syndicated weekly TV series
• The Weather Channel
• Woman’s Day magazine
• TV, magazine and photography work in Allen’s own gardens
• Woman’s Day Garden & Deck Design magazine
• Cottage Living magazine
• http://www.pallensmith.com
• America Online
• Smith’s upcoming 2006 book and book tour

Additionally, Proven Winners commercials and underwriting credits will run on both the syndicated and PBS weekly TV shows.

Another goal of the partnership is to increase the sales and value of plants sold by growers and retailers. To help do this, Smith and Proven Winners is planning to generate a large amount of pull-through marketing and consumer awareness for a list of “Hot 18” key Proven Winners varieties. Proven Winners and Smith are planning to educate growers and retailers about the Hot 18 plants, as well as other plants Smith will feature in the media, well in advance of the following spring gardening season. This will allow growers and retailers to grow, merchandise and promote these varieties in garden centers.

“The Hot 18 plants are all varieties Smith selected himself after seeing the plants in trials and at Proven Winners locations. Smith calls these the Hot 18 because they have great visual impact, are especially loaded with color, and at the same time are low maintenance,” said PW. Over the course of the year, he will share his experiences growing these plants. Smith will relate his experiences in his magazine articles, online in “Allen’s Garden” features, and during his TV shows and appearances. Many of these plants are new introductions this year. The following is a list of the Hot 18 for 2006:

• ‘Supertunia Vista Bubblegum’
• ‘Supertunia Royal Velvet’
• ‘Superbells Plum’
• ‘Superbells Red’
• ‘Lemon Symphony’
• ‘Intensia Neon Pink’
• ‘Intensia Cabernet’
• ‘Laguna Sky Blue’
• ‘Dolce Key Lime Pie’
• ‘Angelface Blue’
• ‘Angelface Pink’
• ‘New Wonder’
• ‘Whirlwind White’
• ‘Snowstorm Giant Snowflake’
• ‘Cabana Trailing Blue’
• ‘Blue Bird’
• ‘Broadway Lights’
• ‘Charmed Velvet’

“In this partnership, Allen will not act as a spokesperson for Proven Winners. Proven Winners is already a very well-known and highly regarded industry brand and is partnering with Allen to increase brand awareness and use of Proven Winners plants with consumers. Because Allen believes in the superior quality of plants in the Proven Winners brand, Proven Winners and Allen will work together to promote the beauty of gardening and the success gardeners can have using Proven Winners plants,” said PW.