Home Depot Garden Centers

A brand experience marketing campaign designed to drive proactive visits to Home Depot Garden Centers.

2025

This was completed as coursework at Boston University.

The Situation

Home Depot has an extensive plant selection and garden equipment; however, Garden Center revenue has remained stagnant, despite growing consumer interest in gardening.

The Objective

Improve Home Depot’s Garden Center to create inspiration in gardening by integrating the brand with the value people are craving: community.

Target Audience:

The Family Growers

These parents have kids who are still at home, and they are always busy balancing school, work, and household responsibilities. In fact, 72% of these parents always have some sort of household project happening. They want to make their home garden beautiful and functional, but are worried about the cost of plants and maintenance. Last time they tried to plant flowers, their garden was overrun by pests and weeds. They struggle to prioritize their to-do list and their children’s needs, so they’re looking for ways to involve their family without it seeming like a chore.

The Campaign

  • Spring: The Groves

    At two Home Depot locations, we will launch The Home Depot Groves: giant, jungle-like greenhouses on top of the buildings.

    These locations will open to the public as a place for consumers to practice and build their gardening skills without having to invest a lot of time and money, and also act as tourist attractions.

    We will also invite gardening influencers to hold classes at the Groves, which will be released as a mini series on YouTube and The Home Depot website. This mini series will also be spliced and released in short-form videos as branded content throughout the campaign.

  • Summer: The New Garden Center

    Next, The Home Depot will launch gardening support resources both virtually and in-house that.

    In-house, we will introduce plant specialists to the Garden Centers, who provide a free service to consumers for advice on plant selection, garden design, and plant maintenance.

    Additionally, in-app and online, the Virtual Garden Planner (pictured here) will allow users to virtually design their garden, and give suggestions on plant types based on analyzed soil, lighting and weather conditions.

  • Fall: Pop-Ups

    To further enhance community interactions, The Home Depot will hit the road and make some real impacts outside the stores.

    We will launch Home-Depot-branded community gardens in underprivileged urban areas to bring greenspace and self-suffiency into those communities. Home Depot will buy, construct, and launch the gardens before handing them off to community leaders.

    Additionally, we will set up pop-up tents at state fairs to reach the family growers alongside their families, and encourage purchases from the Indoor Garden Center selections.

Creating a Cycle of Advocacy

Belief:

Learn of Home Depot’s plant selection through social ads

Saw Home Depot Grove at their local Home Depot

See Home Depot pop-up tent at a fair

See influencer mini-series

Action:

Visit a Grove location

Join a Home Depot-funded community garden or visit a fair pop-up

Shop at Home Depot Garden Center

App engagement, downloads, and use

Confidence:

Understand plant quality and variety offered by Home Depot, and receive advice from on-site experts

Saw the success of expert advice from mini-series

Gain credibility through influencer partnerships

Advocacy:

Encourage customers to share photos and videos of their gardening projects

Users recommend Home Depot resources to their friends and family

Shares of mini-series videos and clips on social media