How Four Seasons Total Landscaping Can Capitalize on That Infamous Press Conference

As President Donald Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani took to the podium for a campaign press conference on Nov. 7, while Philadelphia counted remaining presidential ballots, viewers noticed something off about the backdrop. Mainly, that he was standing in front of a garage in a vast parking lot. Some fast googling led many to speculate that the legal team, looking to book the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, mistakenly made arrangements at the wrong space nearby: the Four Seasons Total Landscaping parking lot. The landscaper quickly became the subject of memes and social media chatter across every platform. Users joked about having a presidential press conference between an adult bookstore and a crematorium and envisioned the phone conversation between Trump's legal team and the company. And rather than shy away from the attention, the landscaping brand embraced it. On Monday, the company released shirts, stickers and masks featuring slogans such as “Lawn and Order” and “Make America Rake Again.” The items sold out by Tuesday but have since restocked online and in-store. The also company shared an image of its parking lot on Twitter and Instagram to be used as a Zoom virtual background. The company is even hosting a charity run on Nov. 29 that spans about 11 miles—the precise distance between the landscaper and the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. Four Seasons Total Landscaping did not respond to Adweek’s requests for comment, but industry experts say the company can leverage its moment in the sun for long-term success. Securing a digital presence Prior to Nov. 7, Four Seasons Total Landscaping only advertised its commercial property services on Facebook and Instagram, catering to potential local clients and posting the occasional meme about waiting for it to snow in Philadelphia. The company joined Twitter on Nov. 8 to address the social media chatter and announce it would be selling merchandise. https://twitter.com/therealfstl1992/status/1325570811747586048?s=20 A Facebook post from Four Seasons Total Landscaping used to receive anywhere from three to 145 likes. Now, some posts have received more than 11,000 likes. Similarly, the company's Instagram posts have also risen to between 367 and more than 2,000 likes per post, compared to maxing out at around 100 likes previously. With more than 39,000 followers on all platforms combined and a neutral stance on politics, the company is an “amazing example of how digital culture takes shape in actual relationship to real things,” according to Alex Sturtevant, director of brand at creative agency Stink Studios. “They understood the appetite for something that was just a little bit of fresh air, and they don’t take themselves too seriously,” he continued. Sturtevant sees similarities between this moment and when TikTok user Nathan Apodaca went viral last month after posting a video drinking Ocean Spray while riding a skateboard as Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" played. Many people created their own version of Apodaca's video on TikTok, including former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and vocalist Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac frontwoman Stevie Nicks, who created TikTok just to acknowledge the trend. The brand also got behind it, connecting with Apodaca and gifting him a truck. Sturtevant noted that Four Seasons Total Landscaping and Ocean Spray “leaned into that initial moment,” and that’s what will count in the long run. “[Four Seasons Total Landscaping is] not making a TV ad or something like that. They’re playing the same landscape where the conversation is already happening,” he said. Sturtevant added that the company has room to play post-election, too. “Four Seasons Total Landscaping is now in a position where if they respond to something, people will see it,” he said. “That’d be the kind of earned advertising that every brand would love to have, and it’s really remarkable that they’ve been able to achieve that so quickly. I think that they need to stay active and stay in the same tone.” Strapping in for the long haul With Philadelphia already having such a rich history, Chris Sojka, co-founder and CCO of full-service agency Madwell, said Four Seasons Total Landscaping could find itself cementing its own American legacy. “This is a historic event, therefore, it’s now a tourist destination,” he said. “I think they have the right to sell souvenirs, merchandise and memorabilia forever.” It’s unknown if Four Seasons Total Landscaping is currently working with an agency or is in talks to work with one, but Sojka said it would only be necessary to hire one if the company needed help creating merchandise or sustaining interest. Like Sturtevant, Sojka noted that Four Seasons Total Landscaping has the opportunity “to create a structure that turns into that permanent theme and a permanent relevancy” that many companies strive to establish. “They really have to figure out what is the point of view and what do they stand for," he said. “They’ve been given license to comment on and engage in a certain sliver of societal commentary.” Four Season Total Landscaping’s viral moment has not only given people a chance to poke fun at a mishap, but for Sojka, it’s been a lesson for him and other agencies to “mobilize and capitalize” on anything similar that happens in the future. “If you get that stroke of luck that fills you with energy and the attention of a lot of society, you have a proverbial choice at that moment to parlay that into longevity or to ride that very short wave,” he said. “You should be prepared to catch that lightning and turn it into power.”

Politics

How Four Seasons Total Landscaping Can Capitalize on That Infamous Press Conference

The company released a new line of merchandise only 2 days after the event

UNLOCK FULL ACCESS

Tiffany Moustakas

Brand Marketing

Leaked Memo: Spectrum Lets Go of CMO and Chief Commercial Officer

How Brands Made Space for Creativity at CultureCon

Lifestyle First: How the Next Generation Is Rewriting Luxury Real Estate

As Novig Unveils Sydney Sweeney Sequel, Powerade Bites Back

AI Is Changing How Marketing and Technology Teams Work Together

Breaking Down the New Customer Acquisition Playbook

Health Marketing Is Moving From Information to Navigation

People Are Getting Together—Will Brands Meet Up With Them?

Building the Right Team Is More Important Than Ever for Marketers