Branded Floral Displays An Emerging Market

Branded Floral Displays An Emerging Market

Click here for more images of the Los Angeles floralscapes.

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What does the launch of the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle have to do with our industry? Everything if you’re Altman Plants, which is the annuals supplier for vivid displays supporting the ongoing launch along Los Angeles freeways.

The first roadside display, dubbed a “Harmony Floralscape,” was unveiled last week along the Pasadena Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa unveiled the display with officials from partner companies Caltrans, Toyota, U.S.A. Inc. and Greenroad Media, Inc.

The floralscape is one of nine oversized floral designs that will appear alongside California freeways in support of the Prius hybrid’s launch. Greenroad Media developed technology to create roadside floral designs, and Altman Plants in Vista, Calif., supplied differing varieties and colors to complete the first L.A. floralscape.

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Now, the door to another market is open to greenhouse growers, as more than 200,000 plants will be used on the nine California sites. Altman Plants just happened to be the first grower involved in the Greenroad Media project.

Unlike Rose Parade floats made with cut flowers, the nine Toyota Prius floralscapes are comprised entirely of living seasonal flowers. They measure 30 feet by 60 feet.

Each floralscape includes about 20,000 blooms, and local growers are the intended suppliers. Because Greenroad Media wants to use as little plastic as possible, it’s using Jumbo Ellepots for its plantings.

Floralscapes are also attractive in marketing companies like Toyota because of their ability to reach hundreds of thousands of potential consumers on the road each day.

“Not only will floralscapes be seen by several hundred thousand motorists every day, permanent upgrades are also being made to the surrounding area, including landscape and irrigation improvements,” says Tim Morrison, Toyota’s marketing corporate manager.

Edward St. Clair, president and founder of Greenroad Media, agrees with Morrison’s assessment.

“The floralscapes are an ideal communications concept for these economically challenged and environmentally conscious times,” he says. “Toyota is able to demonstrate its commitment to the environment to the benefit of state and local governments, local businesses and the entire community.”

Federal regulations do, however, require floralscapes to be non-commercial in nature. Abstract images of the Prius will appear in different settings.

Want more on the floralscapes? Check out a slideshow containing a few photos from the Los Angeles floralscapes.

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