PP&L 2015 California Spring Trials
In the horticulture world things constantly evolve. New plants are created, methods developed and liners improved. We’re lucky enough to work with Pacific Plug & Liner (PP&L), a California-based facility who specializes in plugs and liners, giving us the opportunity to stay in-tune with this ever-changing industry.
Every year PP&L participates in the California Spring Trials, aka CAST, Spring Trials and Pack Trials. CAST brings together many of the world’s leading plant breeders, growers and suppliers—where they showcase their plant varieties and new products in a week-long event.
So what’s the big deal?
With over 10 facility locations (spread across the great state of California) and 40+ participating companies, attendees are bound to a tight travel schedule that often eliminates their ability to visit every location. For this reason, making your facility a must-see stop on every attendee’s list is a high priority.
When it came to our friends at Pacific Plug & Liner, they knew they had to up the ante to ensure people not only stopped by, but left with a memorable experience. This is where BatesMeron comes in.
Working with PP&L’s marketing manager, April Herring-Murray, we first collaborated to create an event theme. With eerie 19th century greenhouses and unsolved mysteries on the mind, “Labyrinth: A Conservatory of the World’s Most Captivating Plants” was born.
Part emporium and part Clue, this industrial-meets-art-deco theme came to life with ornate imagery that was both dark and dazzling. To help promote the approaching event, we created a Labyrinth logo that was used throughout all elements, as well as digital banner ads that featured exciting new plant varieties. From eblast to printed invite, each Labyrinth piece was filled with beautiful embellishment and playful information that kept potential attendees on their toes.
In early April, the event finally arrived. Attendees filled PP&L’s massive facility with anticipation of what curiosities they would uncover at Labyrinth. While there, guests were able to walk through their maze of a garden space, which featured dark-painted walls, hanging signage and Victorian-era décor. They were also given theme-branded brochures to help make their plant admiration easier and treated to monocles to ensure they caught every detail.
Guests were thrilled with their Labyrinth experience. (As a matter of fact, you can still probably find participants sporting their PP&L monocles to this day.) The event not only stirred up excitement prior to launch, but kept the chatter going long after CAST ended.
But don’t just take our word for it—experience PP&L’s Labyrinth for yourself through GrowerTalk’s wonderfully campy video tour.