Targeted Marketing, A New St. Augustinegrass Are Highlights of National Producers Meeting
 
February 13 was the date, and Savannah, GA was the place for the 8th annual Sod Solutions International Producers Meeting. Some 70 turfgrass producers and other turf industry professionals from the United States and Australia gathered at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort in Savannah, GA for updates on a new St. Augustinegrass and supporting marketing for this variety and other Sod Solutions proprietary brands.
 

Attendees were Sod Solutions licensed producers from the U.S. and Australia. Special guest was Dr. Dennis Martin, Extension Turf Specialist, Oklahoma State University. The program included detailed information about planned marketing and advertising support of SapphireTM St. Augustine, which was introduced to the U.S. in 2004, and is being “rolled out” in key U.S. regions beginning this fall. Sapphire is an improved St. Augustinegrass that offers a finer texture, deeper blue-green color, and lower maintenance requirements than older St. Augustine cultivars (read more at http://www.sodsolutions.com/sapphire/index.shtml).

 

Sod Solutions outlined national and regional 2006 marketing support planned for Sapphire, CelebrationTM Bermudagrass, Palmetto® St. Augustine and EMPIRE® Zoysia. Each attendee received a “2006 Marketing Toolkit” CD with a variety of planning, graphic and sales tools. The meeting also included a technical review, research highlights, and presentation by Dr. Martin about the advantages of using proprietary turfgrasses. The meeting was scheduled to coincide with the first day of the Turf Producers International Midwinter Conference, held February 13-17 at the Westin.