Growing the Future of Real Christmas Trees

PNWCTA Marketing Campaign | Year Three: 2026-2027

Building consumer demand through targeted marketing, research, and industry collaboration. 

A New Chapter: Additional Grant Funding Secured!
The Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association (PNWCTA) is excited to announce that our Real Christmas Tree Marketing Campaign is entering its third year, supported by a new two-year USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant beginning October 1, 2026.

Launched in 2024 with the support of nine major Pacific Northwest growers, the campaign was created to address declining market share for real Christmas trees and explore how targeted digital advertising can influence consumer purchasing decisions.

With two years of campaign development, testing, and research behind us, this new grant provides an opportunity to build on what we've learned, strengthen our marketing efforts, and continue promoting the value of real Christmas trees.

Introducing Our New Marketing Partner: Intuitive Digital
PNWCTA has selected Intuitive Digital, a Portland-based digital marketing agency, to lead the next phase of the campaign.

Intuitive Digital brings expertise in digital advertising, marketing strategy, and performance analytics. Working alongside PNWCTA and the Marketing Committee, the agency will help build on the foundation established during the campaign's first two years.

We look forward to sharing more about the agency's recommendations and campaign strategy as plans are finalized.

Meet the Intuitive Digital Team

What's Next for the Marketing Campaign?
As we enter Year Three, our focus remains on growing consumer awareness, encouraging real Christmas tree purchases, and providing valuable marketing resources for the industry.

Priorities for the next phase include:

  • Expanding Consumer Awareness: Continuing targeted digital marketing efforts that highlight the benefits of choosing real Christmas trees.
  • Building on Campaign Results: Reviewing previous advertising performance and sales data to help guide future marketing decisions.
  • Refining Our Messaging: Continuing to promote the family traditions, sustainability, freshness, and local economic benefits associated with real Christmas trees.
  • Supporting Growers and Retailers: Expanding access to promotional materials that members can use in their own marketing.
  • Measuring Impact: Continuing to explore how advertising efforts influence consumer interest and real tree sales. 

Specific advertising markets, campaign activities, and performance measures will be shared as the new strategy is developed.

Looking Back: The First Two Years (2024-2025)
The campaign began in 2024 as a two-year pilot supported by a $173,000 Specialty Crop Block Grant and private contributions from growers.

Working with our original marketing partner, Digital Convo, the campaign focused on developing creative advertising materials, testing consumer messaging, and evaluating the effectiveness of geographically targeted digital advertising.

Early campaign findings included:

  • Approximately 3% higher sales in the South Bay target market compared with the San Francisco control market.
  • Approximately 9% higher sales in the San Diego target market compared with the Los Angeles control market.

These preliminary comparisons provided encouraging insights and helped establish a foundation for continued research and marketing investment.

The campaign also developed a collection of graphics, videos, and messaging that members can use to promote real Christmas trees. 

Marketing Tools for PNWCTA Members
One of the campaign's goals is to make professional marketing resources more accessible to growers, retailers, and choose-and-cut operations.

As part of this effort, we will be developing a Real Christmas Tree Marketing Toolkit that will provide members with promotional graphics, videos, and other resources they can use in their own marketing efforts.

These materials will help members connect with consumers, promote the benefits of real Christmas trees, and strengthen our industry's marketing message.

What's Next?
Intuitive Digital will present a campaign update at PNWCTA's 2027 Short Course on February 19 in Portland, including progress on the Marketing Toolkit and what members can expect moving forward.

We look forward to making these resources available to members as they are developed. Watch for additional updates through PNWCTA communications and upcoming events.

How You Can Get Involved

1. Support the Campaign
Grant funding provides an important foundation, but financial contributions from growers and industry partners help strengthen and expand the program. 

2. Participate in Sales Data Collection
Retail sales information is valuable in helping evaluate the campaign's effectiveness. Growers and retailers are encouraged to participate in data collection opportunities as updated reporting needs are established. 

3. Use and Share Marketing Resources
Members are encouraged to incorporate campaign materials into their own marketing efforts and help spread the message about the benefits of choosing real Christmas trees

Stay Connected
PNWCTA will continue providing updates as Intuitive Digital develops the next phase of the campaign.

Watch for additional information through association communications, The Lookout, and upcoming PNWCTA events.

Questions? Comments? Want to Help?
We’d love to talk with you. Use the form below to get in touch with the campaign team.

Submit a question or express interest → HERE
Make a Contribution →HERE
Contribute Stick Sales Data → HERE

Together, We Can Grow This

This isn’t just a campaign. It’s a test of what works — and a tool that, with your support, will help all of us sell more trees.

 

Some funding for the Marketing Campaign Project was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of USDA.