LicensingSource.net catches up with Michael Wooldridge, director of Woodlodge, to chat about its collaboration with Pantone and how it’s set to open new doors for the company.
Firstly, can you tell us how the relationship with Pantone came about?
Michael Wooldridge: Woodlodge has always been renowned for its innovative collections and on-trend designs. One trend that has surged in the past couple of years is the rising of bold colours in the home. As life slowly gets back to some sort of normality, consumers’ mindset, behaviour and mood are looking to bring brightness back into their day.
We wanted to reflect this in our ongoing new product development and Pantone is the perfect partner to do this with as they are the leading colour authority and a highly respected brand.
Tell us more about the range…
The Pantone collection is a range of outdoor planters that will bring vibrant colour to the garden or balcony. It is available in eight different designs which include glazed terracotta, reinforced concrete and fibreclay planters in an array of shades, bringing Pantone’s expertise, vision and design, as well as Woodlodge’s high quality and colour to the garden.
The Pantone ridged collection is embellished with ruby red, sunshine yellow or cobalt blue glaze to stand out, while the fibreclay ribbed planters are inspired by the soothing beauty of the natural world in green and blue. We also have a range made from reinforced concrete and two-tone pots, all embossed with the Pantone trademark logo.
They were all launched to the trade at Glee in June for orders with the collections going into store in 2023.
What has the retail reaction to the range been like so far?
Very positive. The Pantone collection will offer retailers a real point of difference, appealing to the interior market and those that have an interest in colour.
The aim of the range was to attract a younger more trend-led demographic, as garden centres are attracting younger customers we wanted a range to appeal to them.
Pantone only puts its name against products which are proven to deliver results and we believe that the new range will pay dividends for retailers as a new generation is enticed to their stores. It will also present an unrivalled opportunity for visually stunning and eye-catching merchandising, filling the sales floor with colour and attracting the shoppers’ eye from afar.
Does having a brand such as Pantone help to open up more retail channels?
We hope so! I think that the Pantone collaboration will bring Woodlodge to a new audience. Not just the gardener, but consumers that have an interest in fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design. The Pantone logo is instantly recognisable and highly regarded which will result in a wide consumer appeal.
Why did you feel that the Pantone brand was such a good fit with Woodlodge?
There is a strong synergy between Pantone and the Woodlodge brand. Working with the right partners to produce stylish and trend-setting products is intrinsic to us as a company. Our reputation is built on the back of an unrivalled product range, superb quality and responding to changing tastes and fashions in the home and garden, as is Pantone.
Working with Pantone has resulted in a collection that communicates new colour inspiration and elevates what brands are well known for. It will enable us to meet the increasing consumer demand for beautiful garden products.
How much influence did real-world trends have when you were creating the range?
Our lives have changed with the pandemic and consumers are looking to bring joy back into their lives through colour. All white spaces are quickly disappearing with the use of vibrant colour completely transforming a space, and certain tones are known to have positive effects on well-being and motivation – this is what we wanted to create with Pantone.
During the pandemic, people’s appreciation of their outside spaces (large and small) came through – how has Woodlodge tapped into this with the Pantone range?
Over seven million have taken up gardening since the pandemic, this now includes a new and younger audience that is vital for the future of gardening.
Outdoor living has also been on an upwards trajectory as people used their gardens more as an extension of their homes. Consumers are decorating their gardens with the same care as their interior rooms and with the recent explosion of colour in the UK interiors market, the Pantone outdoor planter range stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Ian, from a Licensing Link Europe point of view, how pleased are you with the partnership?
Ian Wickham, director, Licensing Link Europe: We are delighted to be working with the UK’s number one supplier of innovative garden pots and planters. It doesn’t matter which garden centre or retailer you visit, Woodlodge have some form of representation at retail, so this could be a significant opportunity. Additionally, there are other areas that have yet to be explored, so plenty more to go after.
Is there scope for it to grow further?
Most definitely. We have an indoor planter range that has expanded due to the popularity of houseplants and Pantone would work perfectly with this millennial audience. Woodlodge also has a garden décor and gifting range, Honey & Wild, as well as the Down to Earth sundries range so the possibilities are endless but exciting.
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