Slightly Slanted News

  Yale YoungbloodOf all the typographical innovations of the past, oh, several hundred years, I would cast a vote for the italic as a personal favorite. In fact, I just did, opting to italicize "italic" when various other options beckoned my attention from the upper left-hand corner of my laptop screen. I like it (which, of course, is short for italic) because it lends emphasis to words that are important. To wit, two examples:

Strike up the Brand
Our cover story on branding (see page 10) ought to provide some food for thought. My favorite managing editor, Sarah Martinez, who wrote the piece, offers this morsel:

Plant branding is still a relatively new development for the green industry. And after doing dozens of interviews with both retailers and the brand-makers themselves, it’s evident that there’s still disconnect between the two parties. For the most part, the companies behind these brand names are investing a lot of time, money and resources to increase the perceived value of plants. Some retailers have wholeheartedly embraced this concept. But I’d venture to say that the majority are tepid about the whole deal.

Let’s face it. Branding is here to stay. We live in a nation where a single person—think Martha Stewart or Emeril Lagasse—can create an entire brand-empire with the force of their personality alone.

Here’s my challenge to the garden retailers out there: If the branding options being offered aren’t cutting the mustard, say something! They’re not going away. Get engaged, and make the concept work for your business. Talk to your sales reps and growers. Send an e-mail to headquarters. Tell them what you like and dislike. Air your misgivings and offer your compliments. Trust me, they want to know; they’ll listen. Let’s make these brands work for us, for everyone’s benefit.
 
Happy Endings
Our May cover story chronicled the adventures Stuart Cofer experienced as he and thousands of other Georgia-based green industry professionals endured the worst drought in the state's history. I'm ecstatic to report that his life since has been filled with storm clouds.

Actually, that's a good thing. Here's what he wrote me recently:

The drought was declared over first of April and the rains came...customers literally flocked to the store. After the two worst years in my lifetime because of the drought we are on track (if they give us water for fall planting) to have the second best year in our history—even with this bad economy! We are up 15-20 percent in sales and doing well vs. non-drought years.

I tell people I am a cotton farmer—weather is good/so is profit... weather bad/no profit . . . Economy is second fiddle to retail garden centers.

And the people said, "Amen!" No ... wait ... "Amen!"