Ward’s Nursery Case Study
Ward’s is ubiquitous among gardeners in the Berkshires. Their staff is welcoming and knowledgeable. That is an excellent business model, and we are grateful to have them as a client and as new friends.
What We Did
- Discovery
- Rebranding
- Photography
- Video Production
- Website Design
- Custom WordPress Development
- Print Design
Their Values
Ward’s Nursery has been at its location in Great Barrington, MA since 1957. Today it is run by the second and third generation of Ward’s, and they honor the same model of doing business.
- Train and treat their staff well
- Always make customers feel welcome
- Make time for their questions
- Nudge them in the right direction
The Challenge
Ward’s needed a new website. Their patrons were not using it for much more than store hours and location. They were interested in reaching a younger audience and they hoped a new website would help.
The Strategy
We facilitated a series of discovery sessions over Zoom. The team at Ward’s were eager to get to work and we uncovered insights about their business and their customers. We began design work on their logo, then created an identity system for marketing materials. We collaborated on their new website design and searchable database. Today we create print advertising, business collateral, and signage, keeping their brand in alignment.
An elegant rebranding
Using a modern and beautifully symmetrical typeface, we constructed a unique logo the client now loves. It is founded on their history, values, and customer loyalty. The identity system allowed us to design t-shirts for staff, making them easy to identify in the store.
A very photogenic client
There is always something beautiful to photograph all year long. We scheduled 4 photoshoots during the year to capture every season. Now they have professional photos to pick from to create advertising, social media posts, and new website pages. The new look of Ward’s Nursery is inviting and warm.
Bring the customers to the store
The greenhouses at Ward’s have a calmness to them. Everything is beautiful, the staff is friendly and helpful, and they allow you to spend time there. Using video on the website homepage, they are reminding customers to come in and explore; to feel calm, and recharge their batteries. To feel warm and hopeful in the winter and smell the flowers in the summer.
Helping gardeners in the Berkshires
The new homepage for Ward’s is first, inviting, and second, full of helpful information for gardeners. Ward’s is communicating with their customers in a tone that is helpful and supportive. The choices they made to create their website are driven by what their customers want and their ability to meet those needs. This is the strategy we found to be most effective.
Ward’s Nursery is a feel-good place to be and they are known as a credible resource for gardeners. Their new website makes this connection and makes gardening information accessible.
Bringing the brand together
Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center now has a consistent look across the different ways they communicate. Their website to their email signature. From their shirts to their tote bags, their business cards to their letterhead and envelopes. They've also made changes to their advertising to conect the brand to their customers.
Today, Ward’s customers have given positive feedback to staff about the new brand. The identity system is versitle, and we're alwys finding new ways to flip the colors and make an impact.
“Before we worked with Gemini Creative our website was in desperate need of attention. When we sat down with Glenn and his team, we had an idea of what we were looking for. It quickly became clear they would bring our vision into reality and add to it in ways we hadn’t foreseen.”
“Glenn’s attention to detail takes what we are thinking and presents a usable website idea. He did a fantastic job keeping us on track. He created a timeline with specific goals for us to meet and he made sure to accommodate us during our busiest season. Their designer took our vision and paired large images with clean, clear areas for text. This created the beautiful and informative website we have today. We scheduled multiple photoshoots and now have a library filled with beautiful photos and videos that encapsulate our space through the seasons.”
“We now have an aesthetically pleasing website that is easy to update, with two new industry-specific tools and a small online store we can easily add to if need be. We continue to work with Gemini Creative to design signage, print advertising, and email marketing. I highly recommend working with them.”
Eva Ward Wards Nursery & Garden Center
CompuWorksPittsfield, MA
CompuWorks is a leader among its peers in the industry and was looking to break into new territory. They're well known in the Berkshires and they were looking for ways to reach new customers in Albany and the Pioneer Valley.
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413-854-4599 sales@gemini-creative.com