College fans are a passionate bunch, even when it comes to their lawns and gardens. That’s what Sharon Studer learned after meeting a man at a trade show who had landscaped his new home just right to show off a prized possession: his University of Nebraska garden gnome.
“One of the things we’ve found is that people will support their country. And next to their country, they're going to support their alma mater,” says Studer, manager of textiles and collegiate products for New Creative Enterprises, Inc. That passion can turn into summertime profit for lawn and garden retailers. As the weather heats up and consumers continue to view their lawns and gardens as extensions of the home, college pride is increasingly spilling outdoors in the form of flags, stepping stones, chimes, rocks, doormats, design posts, key hiders and, of course, the classic garden gnome.
Boosting Sales
Royalties at the Collegiate Licensing Company have increased at least 20 percent for the furniture and furnishing category, which includes lawn and garden products. “We’ve seen tremendous growth by just how many lawn and garden applications we’ve processed,” says Crystal Sims, manager of non-apparel for the company, which handles licensing for nearly 200 colleges and universities. And that growth is far from peaking.
College-licensed flags continue to be the strongest sellers, says Studer, although the garden gnomes are gaining ground fast. At Johnson’s Garden Center in Wichita, Kan., sales of college rocks and water globes with logos from Kansas State University, the University of Kansas and the University of Nebraska have been strong, says Sarah Miller, an employee at the garden center. “We always have people asking for the college stuff,” she says.
Retailers and bookstores close to college campuses tend to have the most success with the products, since returning alumni will often take a stepping stone or doormat back home after visits. “These [retailers] can't keep these in stock,” Studer says. “Colleges will always be there, and it will always be something you went to, knew someone at or jumped on the bandwagon for.”
Walnut Ridge Nursery & Garden Center in Jeffersonville, Ind., is on prime real estate for collegiate products. Located near Louisville but still in Indiana, the garden center sells flags, stepping stones and gnomes with logos from Indiana University, the University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky, Purdue University and, for a short time, Notre Dame.
And sales? Debbie Julius-McCulloch, an owner of the center, says collegiate items are one of the few categories in collectibles that show growth since she started offering the products about two years ago. “Sales are strong. I’ll be adding more, expanding that line,” she says.
Most of her customers buy the products as gifts, especially for men. “There are very few gifts for men [at the garden center], and this is something a lot of men like,” Julius-McCulloch adds. “As adults, you’re no longer in school, but this is a way of continuing that enthusiasm. That’s what we’ve tapped here.”
Profiting from Passion
As the trend goes, consumers are moving the inside out. Outdoor furniture and décor are turning lawns and gardens into home extensions. College items are moving out, too, especially as temperatures rise and people start spending more time outside. “Those people that have a [university-themed] room in their house are now putting something out in front,” Julius-McCulloch says.
Take Louisiana, a state that stays outdoor friendly year round. The state’s humid climate has led to wild popularity in licensed Louisiana State University lawn and garden products, says Brian Hommel, trademark-licensing director for the school. People love to spend time outdoors and often “put a lot of time and effort into their garden, so they might like the idea of an LSU birdhouse,” he says. With summer approaching, that sentiment is spreading across the country. “A lot of people love these products,” Hommel says. “They’re unique.”
Still, it all boils down to passion. It is no coincidence that schools with strong athletic programs and fierce fans see the strongest sales with collegiate-licensed products, says New Creative’s Studer. Luckily, at LSU, there’s no shortage of that. “The people here love to show their purple and gold, whether that’s through a T-shirt, hat or even a garden gnome,” Hommel says.
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