Scotts Miracle-Gro Announces Actor Kristofer Hivju as Newest Hype Man

MullenLowe U.S. has added a new client, Scotts Miracle-Gro, to its portfolio and today has unveiled its first work. The appointment comes off the back of the successful relationship the agency has held with Roundup for the past two years. The agency’s remit has now been extended to the Scotts brand, for which MullenLowe U.S. has been tasked with the creative and strategy duties to drive brand awareness and product sales.

The first work created by MullenLowe - 'Scott for Scotts' - features a fiery brand protagonist played by Kristofer Hivju, who many may recognise as Tormund from Game of Thrones. Scott had retired in 2013, but given America’s post-pandemic lawn and gardening explosion, it seemed like the right time to bring him back.

“Over the past several years, millions of Americans have reimagined their outdoor spaces. And it shouldn’t be a struggle for those folks to have a great, healthy lawn, which is why we thought now was the right time to bring back Scott for Scotts. We know that most homeowners just need help and guidance about what products to use and when, and that’s the beauty of a great character like Scott for Scotts,” said John Sass, vice president and chief creative officer at Scotts Miracle-Gro.

The new Scott is an affable man with a commanding presence and hails from the Scottish Highlands, where he developed a passion for grass. He has since declared it his noble obligation to inspire and educate homeowners. To help as well as protect them from mistakes that can be easily resolved with Scotts lawn care products, Kristofer embodies the character with nuanced humour and invites consumers into his relentless pursuit for lawn perfection in a slightly unhinged but inspiring way.

The campaign features a series of films starring Scott and some unsuspecting homeowners. 

“When casting the role of Scott, we immediately thought of Kristofer and wrote scripts with him in mind. He is the personification of this passionate, unapologetic man who is infatuated with lawns. If he can’t convince you how easy it is to have and enjoy a beautiful lawn, then I don’t know who can. The best results we could hope for would be to see greener grass everywhere,” said Tim Vaccarino, executive creative director of MullenLowe Boston and New York.

The campaign will go live across TV, OLV, streaming audio, display, and paid social and owned media channels. Consumers can also tap into Scott’s expertise with #Scottline across social channels.