{case study} How CREATIVE Promotional Agency Used Seed Calendars to Generate Sales

CREATIVE Promotional Agency is a fellow Canadian company specializing in promo marketing and brand storytelling. They wanted to create a sales-generating self-promo campaign that aligned with their core values of sustainability. Their seed calendars campaign surpassed its goals and was even nominated for Best in Sustainability at the 2023 PPPC Awards!

Vision & Concept

The goal was to share a product that was both innovative and sustainable. This mission led the team to select Custom Photo Plantable Eco Calendars from Botanical PaperWorks, a Canadian, woman-owned manufacturer of seed paper promotional products. The customizable calendar features custom photos and every monthly page has seeds in it that grow when the paper is planted in soil.

Objectives & Strategy

The target for this product was approximately 400 top clients and 100 prospects. The Custom Photo Plantable Calendar was the perfect product for these clients because it serves as a daily reminder of CREATIVE Promotional Agency and the promo products that are featured. In addition to the standard calendar, they added a few extra touches to further drive their sales and reach their end goals.

The first addition was a digital component: a QR code that led each recipient to a targeted promotion, in turn, driving up website traffic. Doing this also benefited their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by increasing visitors to the website which contributed to a boost in their Google rankings.

The second addition was a Magic Butterfly. Not only are butterflies part of their branding, but they are also significant to the organization because they represent their brand by communicating their ability to transform promotions for their prospects and clients.

Values & Sustainability

Customizable seed calendars were selected because CREATIVE Promotional Agency wanted to take a traditional product and make it sustainable, but also digitally interactive. This project aligned with their core values of being committed to introducing, promoting, and using sustainable materials in the products they sell. To communicate the sustainability aspect of the calendar they added a “Plant Me” icon to remind the recipient that the calendar is plantable and encourage them to grow wildflowers, thus reducing waste in our landfills.

Sustainability was in mind throughout the process, right down to shipping methods. 90% of the calendars were mailed with low carbon footprint shipping methods, and the remaining 10% were delivered by hand.

Outcomes

The Custom Photo Plantable Calendar surpassed the original goal of 25% and reached 29% increased sales. With the addition of the QR code, their website ranking has improved by 53%. On top of that, the positive feedback they received from clients has been overwhelming! Overall, this promotional product campaign has been a total success, delivering ROI beyond expectations. The strategic combination of sustainability, visual impact, and interactivity effectively engaged the target audience and exceeded the organization’s sales goals.