Reproductions of paintings by artists such as Monet and Picasso may seem out of place for a landscaping mailer, but not every landscaping job costs $100,000 and up.
New Life Landscapes, Bryn Mawr, PA, will send a series of six self-mailers to 10,000 residents in Philadelphia's affluent Main Line area beginning later this month. The mailers feature the headline: “Every garden is a living work of art.”
William Deem began the business in 1988, building a clientele through referrals and occasional letters. This is the first time he has used the metaphor of a finely landscaped home as a “living work of art.”
“Traditionally, a lot of people view landscapers as people that drive around in a truck and they get off and mow a lawn,” said Dudley Fitzpatrick, CEO and chief creative officer of SFGT, Philadelphia, the advertising agency that created the campaign. “With this, we're more clearly expressing that this person is very differentiated within the space he competes in.”
Four self-mailers, each a 5-by-7 inch card, will drop every two weeks starting May 20 to the same audience of 10,000. The last two mailers in the campaign drop in September.
“We like the idea of frequency,” Fitzpatrick said. “I don't feel that in this instance we're really generating the need, so I think what we're doing is finding people when they're in the market. We like the idea of mail because we could be contacting them on an ongoing basis.”
Names for the mailings were sourced from the firm's inhouse database, plus lists of new homeowners, people who have taken out home equity loans and ZIP codes in Philadelphia's Main Line.
The cards will use reproductions of works from Monet, Picasso, Manet and other artists. Mentioned below the art, which are duly licensed from copyright holders, are four substances — earth, wood, water and stone — meant to reflect the mediums New Life Landscapes works with.
Copy on the reverse of each card reads, “The exterior of your home is an open canvas on which to create a living work of art. Through color, texture, shape, space, design and sound, our desire is to help you create an idyllic environment for you to enjoy throughout the seasons.”
“We thought it was great to transfer the brand equity of the world's most respected and recognized painters into his brand and the fact that we're talking to those who appreciate fine art,” Fitzpatrick said.
“I think the point we're trying to make is, you collect fine art in your home when you'd rather have art that you can enjoy on the outside of your home as well.”
Readers are urged to visit the firm's online gallery of landscaped properties at http://www.newlifelandscapes.com . There is a toll telephone number to call for those who prefer an on-site evaluation.
Regional ads in Philadelphia-area newspapers will offer secondary support.
