SiteOne: 10 Years and Stronger Than Ever

A lot can happen in 10 years. A new company can grow into an industry giant — and an agency that’s been there since the beginning can celebrate an incredible milestone. Since 2014, Swanson Russell’s relationship with SiteOne Landscape Supply has only grown stronger. To celebrate a decade’s worth of partnership, we sat down with EVP/Account Director, Jason Schmaderer, who’s been on the team since the beginning and is more ready than ever to fuel the brand’s future.

Swanson Russell: Can you tell me how Swanson Russell’s relationship with SiteOne began?

Jason Schmaderer: It all began before they were even SiteOne. They were a company called John Deere Landscapes, which was one of the larger wholesale distributors in the green industry at the time. When John Deere decided to sell the landscape division to a private equity firm, they realized their need for a marketing partner. They reached out to Swanson Russell based on industry referrals and asked us to participate in the RFP for the branding project. We put together a proposal that led to more conversations and, ultimately, our 10-year relationship.

SR: What was it like developing a brand for a new company, especially one with such a reputable history like John Deere Landscapes?

JS: It was an exciting and daunting opportunity. Evolving from a top 10 global name like John Deere to something completely new is challenging. A lot of people were concerned about maintaining reputation, awareness and respect without the John Deere name — and all those things were part of the process.

SR: How has Swanson Russell’s relationship with SiteOne changed over the years?

JS: When we first started working with them, it was just a branding project. They liked our understanding of the industry and saw us as a partner to help them accomplish what they needed short term. But through that process, we built strong relationships and showed them we could meet more of their needs once we helped launch their new brand.

SR: What made Swanson Russell uniquely positioned to understand SiteOne and its needs?

JS: I think it was our experience in the green industry that was the foundation. We had other clients who worked closely with wholesale distributors, and we already understood some of those challenges. So, we’re able to bring a lot of that knowledge. Ultimately, it came down to understanding their customer. That’s been a big part of our success.

SR: What do you remember most about first launching the SiteOne name?

JS: I’d say one of the more memorable moments was presenting our brand concepts for the first time. There was a lot of pressure… all eyes were on us to show the path forward. “Tell us who we’re going to be and why.” We presented a group of names, and with their team’s help, ultimately narrowed it down to SiteOne. That was an exciting time when we knew we had really done something special.

SR: What have been some of your favorite projects over the years?

JS: Positioning SiteOne as the “The Place for Pros” and officially launching the brand in 2015 at GIE Expo was probably the most rewarding. Seeing it come to life (and seeing people connecting with it) was really exciting. We got a lot of feedback saying the SiteOne name was spot on. So that was very, very cool.

Creating the Stronger in :60 video series has been another proud moment. It was a different idea… and I really appreciated SiteOne’s willingness to embrace it. Now we’re over 50 videos deep, and it’s still performing incredibly well for them. So, I’m proud of that series and our team. I’m also very honored SiteOne has championed and supported the effort since the beginning.

SR: Why has this relationship been able to last?

JS: Making it to 10 years with any client is a huge milestone. It means you’ve built a relationship… you’ve done good work… and the client has a level of trust with you. So, to have done that with SiteOne is a great accomplishment for Swanson Russell. We have had incredible team members over the years who have all contributed to this success.

And as for why we’ve been able to do that, I think it’s because we’ve consistently delivered. We’ve been strategic partners and never allowed our creative output to just be what they expected. We always try to provide something that goes beyond. We’ve also focused on understanding them and their market at a deep level. All those things combined allowed us to establish a strong relationship that will hopefully continue for another decade.

SR: What does this 10-year milestone mean to you?

JS: I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this brand. SiteOne is one of the most unique client opportunities I’ve had the pleasure of working on. They run the business incredibly well. Doug Black is a visionary leader and knows what he’s doing — and he’s brought people together to continue growing the business.

It’s hard to look back and imagine calling this company something other than SiteOne. It just feels so right. And now, they’re one of the most central brands in the green industry — period. Swanson Russell helped get them there and I’m really proud of that.

Swanson Russell is the Nation’s Leading Agency for Brands That Work and Play Outdoors. We’re on a mission to Make Belief™ by uncovering a brand’s reality, unleashing creative possibilities and building trust over time. See the work we’ve created, get to know our approach — then contact us to see how we can help.