The Challenge
Brian Pia was part of the original Bayer team that launched the Bayer Advanced and Natria lawn and garden brands. These products help consumers grow beautiful lawns and gardens while protecting landscapes from pests, weeds, and diseases.
Bayer needed to build brand awareness, establish credibility, and drive sales, so they hired Brian.
The Work
Brian led PR, digital, and social media efforts for both brands and launched 157 products over more than a decade. He developed communication programs that educated consumers, retailers, the media, and extension agents across all 3,144 U.S. counties on the products’ benefits.
Brian created newsworthy events, such as Bayer Advanced’s participation in the Rose Parade. One year, he collaborated with NASA to send a rose grown with Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower Care into space and featured it on the Bayer Advanced Rose Parade float.
He also led the Bayer Advanced/Arbor Day Foundation’s “Restore America’s Trees Program,” which planted one million trees in national forests based on product sales.
Additionally, Brian spearheaded a national campaign promoting organic gardening with Bayer Advanced Natria products.
Brian developed compelling storylines and gardening tips featuring Bayer products on the Bayer Advanced and Natria websites, through social media and digital newsletters, at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and independent garden center seminars, and in local media across the country. National coverage included ABC, NBC’s Today, FOX News, CBS Early Show, HGTV, and The Wall Street Journal.
The Results
Bayer Advanced and Natria achieved double-digit annual sales increases and became the fastest-growing gardening brands for several years before SBM Life Science acquired them for $260 million.
Along the way, Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower Care and Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed achieved No. 1 market share.
Today, Bayer Advanced is known as BioAdvanced and features Bayer’s active ingredients. Natria remains a favorite among organic gardeners.
