Rival, an independent integrated marketing consultancy with offices in Boston, London and Cape Town, South Africa, is launching an integrated advertising campaign for Lawn Doctor that veers away from “perfect lawn” category conventions in favor of a raucous, relatable approach.
The creative strategy, encapsulated in the campaign title “Lawns Are For Living,” celebrates the moments when family, friends and neighbors come together outdoors—playing Frisbee and catch, watching toddlers tear around on their electric four-wheelers, relaxing with lemonade and cookies, and gathering around a dining table set on the lawn for a rip-roaring barbecue.
“We wanted to break away from the creative convention of people manically fussing over their pristine lawns and instead connect with homeowners through the simple but unforgettable pleasures of spending time at home, in the yard, with family, friends and neighbors,” said Tim Cawley, chief creative officer, Rival.
The campaign is scheduled to break in early summer with hero :30 and :15 video spots running nationally across CTV and social channels, including Meta; :15 and :06 social videos; and static assets for digital and OOH. The hero :30, “Anthem,” offers a poetic and brightly lit summer pastiche of golden moments: a boy making a diving catch of a baseball, a dog doing his zoomies, a group water-pistol fight, a girl doing donuts on her electric car and ripping up some of that deep-green grass, and a dad tending an outdoor barbecue while an elegant table set for 20 stands ready for the party to begin.
The onscreen copy uses playful repetition to reinforce the brand promise that lawns are made for living, accompanying each slice-of-life moment: “Bring On The Highlight Reel” (the diving catch); “Bring On The Zoomies” (the family dog); “Bring On The Battle Royale” (the water-gun fight).
That playful tone is turned up to 11 in a series of static images that satirize the familiar “Keep Off The Grass” signs. One sign uses a modernist collage of copy in multiple fonts that declare: “KEEP ON THE LAWN. It’s A Lawn And It’s Meant To Be Enjoyed. So Bring On The Kids, Frisbees, Pets, Neighbors And Laughs.” Also included are branded laundry stain sticks—because people will need them after rollicking in their yards, after all—for franchisees to share with customers.
Rival also created a series of :15 social videos featuring an awkwardly chipper, self-described AI spokesman standing in a perfectly landscaped backyard. The AI spokesman explains how he is probably a poor choice because he has never had his toes buried in thick green grass and isn’t sure he even has feet. He also says he’s never been invited for cornhole or patio beers, a thought that he says makes him depressed. This is actually an idea they started working on for last year’s effort. But the technology—and Rival’s AI production capacity—has advanced so rapidly that they decided to reboot the idea.
Rival has served as Lawn Doctor’s creative agency of record since 2016.
Rival helps brands challenge and disrupt conventions in their categories to deliver outsized and innovative solutions. The agency’s capabilities include brand development, go-to-market strategy, media planning and buying, data and martech management and creative production. The agency also publishes “The Rival 50,” an annual list of the 50 global brands that are rewriting the rules of modern marketing, in conjunction with Imperial College Business School, London. To learn more: https://www.wearerival.com/
