Beginning with the basics
Pelargonium for Europe is a marketing initiative from European geranium breeders Dümmen Orange, Elsner PAC, Florensis / P. van der Haak Handelskwekerij, Selecta One and Syngenta Flowers.
The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim to promote and secure long-term geranium sales. Through carefully defined themes, targets and an image refresh, the initiative taps into new buyer groups and increasingly inspires younger generations with pelargoniums.

The campaign is now active in 22 countries. In Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, activities are expanded and supported by EU funding as part of the “Europe in Bloom” EU campaign.
Pelargonium for Europe supports the entire pelargonium supply chain, working in partnership with a wide network of agencies and freelancers across Europe. PfE delivers a large-scale, international consumer promotion campaign which targets end consumers directly. In addition to B2C marketing it provides support, advice, and resources to all members of the industry.
Who is behind Pelargonium for Europe?
Pelargonium for Europe is based in Bonn at the location of the ZVG (German Central Horticultural Association). It is managed by specialist marketing agency Green Marketing Europe GmbH. It is led at director level by the following breeding companies:
- Dümmen GmbH
- Florensis
- Elsner PAC Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH
- Selecta Klemm GmbH
- Syngenta Seeds B.V.
Pelargonium for Europe activities currently take place in 22 European countries:
- Belgium (BE)
- Bulgaria (BU)
- Denmark (DK)
- Germany (DE)
- Finland (FI)
- France (FR)
- Greece (GR)
- Italy (IT)
- Croatia (HR)
- Netherlands (NL)
- Norway (NO)
- Austria (AT)
- Poland (PL)
- Romania (RO)
- Sweden (SE)
- Switzerland (CH)
- Slovakia (SK)
- Slovenia (SI)
- Spain (ES)
- Czech Republic (CZ)
- United Kingdom (UK)
- Hungary (HU)
What’s so special about geraniums?
The geranium, or pelargonium to use its official name, is one of the most popular flowering garden and balcony plants of all time. Millions of pelargoniums are sold in Europe every year. There are many reasons for the plant’s popularity, here are just a few:- Geraniums are incredibly easy to grow, making them ideal for plant beginners.
- Geraniums flower abundantly for an unusually long period, from spring through to autumn.
- Geraniums are available in a rainbow of colours from pinks and reds through to white, orange, purple and a whole array of bicolour, patterned and unusual varieties, as well as scented, upright, trailing, self-pruning and many more options. You can also find trailing, upright, and scented pelargoniums, as well as varieties with outstanding large flowers and spectacular patterned foliage.
- Geraniums are versatile, combining well with all kinds of other plants and flourishing in a wide range of settings.
- Geraniums are durable and aren’t very susceptible to pests, disease or overheating.

Who are our target groups?
Our marketing activities are aimed at both consumers and green industry players involved in the pelargonium trade.

Consumers
We reach consumers through a mix of classic public relations, intensive digital communication, advertising and promotion activities and attention-grabbing public initiatives. You can find our consumer-facing content in our blog and press area.

Green industry
We reach the industry in a range of ways, for example, via trade press, newsletters, collaborations with industry bodies and events such as IPM. To support those in the green trade we offer sales and marketing advice, photos, videos, point-of-sale materials and more. We are always happy to support you with the latest marketing tools.
Contact us
Pelargonium for Europe works with partner agencies in each country, who deliver campaign activities in line with their national target market.
Since 2020, marketing activities in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Poland have received EU funding as part of the “Europe in Bloom” campaign. Throughout the EU programme, which runs for three years until 2022, EU funding in these countries will enable extensive, holistic marketing campaigns with a focus on PR, social media, events, and sales promotion.
To learn more about country-specific activities or EU funding, read our FAQs or contact the relevant person in your country.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PfE do in my country?
Campaign activities can vary depending on whether a country is part of a current round of EU funding. Contact the representative in your country to learn more about what’s happening near you.
In general, countries that receive EU funding host widespread, holistic marketing campaigns with a broad mix of different activities. This involves consumer and trade PR in various forms, development of POS materials, social media, events, media partnerships, and more. From 2020 to 2022, these countries are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Poland.
In country campaigns that are funded solely by the industry, our partners are adapting and delivering media material based on content produced under the EU campaign, creating consumer press coverage in line with the national markets. For the trade, free POS materials are available to download, and our extensive, yearly updated image bank can be used for free, for example, for creating social media content and bespoke POS materials.
How do you set goals and targets?
In order to receive EU funding, specific targets must be set, for example, the amount of coverage in media publications or the total number of people reached by our content online. Our targets are defined based on 20 years’ experience of working in partnership with a wide network of experts and specialists.
How do you measure the impact on geranium sales?
We track our results by analysing market data over time; this is a necessary requirement for EU campaign countries. We source market data from a range of reputable sources including Germany’s largest market research institute (GfK) and trade body AMI, and by commissioning Kantar consumer surveys internationally.
Who is behind Pelargonium for Europe?
PfE is the marketing initiative of European pelargonium breeders Dümmen Orange, Florensis / Haack, PAC, Endisch, Selecta one and Syngenta Flowers. At board level, the organisation is represented by the staff of breeder members across both management and marketing.
Project management: Green Marketing Europe, Dr. Susanne Lux
Under the company umbrella of Green Marketing Europe GmbH (GME), Dr. Susanne Lux manages the Pelargonium for Europe campaign alongside its sister campaign Stars for Europe. Previously Dr. Lux has supervised numerous projects in the area of market analysis and marketing in the green sector. To manage the projects, GME is supported by a small team of dedicated staff and freelancers.
Partner agencies: PfE partners with a wide network of talented agencies and freelancers in order to produce materials and deliver campaigns in 22 European countries. Thanks to valuable, longstanding relationships with European experts in PR, marketing and horticulture, the campaign is able to deliver the very best results to support Europe’s breeders, producers and green trade. Any new tender opportunities are published on this website.
How is the campaign financed?
The campaign’s core funding is provided by a breeder marketing fee that is calculated according to the number of cuttings sold by breeding companies participating in the initiative.
Since 2020, PfE has been receiving additional financial support from the EU, enabling the campaign to grow significantly. When an EU campaign runs in certain countries, funding for those countries is split: 80% by EU, 20% by green sector.
EU-funded countries host large-scale, holistic marketing campaigns comprising a wide mix of boosted measures from PR to media cooperation, events, POS support and more. EU funds also enable PfE to produce central materials such as photography, videos and texts which can be used in all countries – including those who are not part of the EU programme. This allows the remaining industry funds to focus entirely on delivering campaign materials via partner agencies in other countries.
Why does PfE receive EU funding?
The EU has a promotion policy to help agricultural producers sell their EU products in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, at the same time as delivering jobs and growth at home. EU-funded promotion campaigns are designed to open up new market opportunities for EU farmers and the wider industry, as well as helping them build their existing business.
To support the ornamental plant sector, PfE has successfully applied for EU co-financing since 2019. Not only is the EU application process extremely complex, but coordinating and actioning EU-supported activities also requires specialist knowledge and training. PfE is pleased to have secured this support and plans to continue fulfilling its campaign goals to benefit Europe’s wider horticulture sector and supply chain.
How do you set the budgets for each country?
The country budgets are decided by PfE’s steering board of breeding companies. Non-EU funded budgets are decided annually, whereas EU programmes last for three years. If personnel working for breeders or producers can see an opportunity for increased budget in a certain country, this can be put forward to the board for discussion. Countries with EU funding see significantly higher budgets.
How do you decide on campaign topics and messages?
PfE conducts extensive market research to gather vital information about the pelargonium trade. We continuously assess market trends through close partnerships with industry experts in various European countries, and we conduct consumer surveys to gain insights into perspectives on the pelargonium and consumer buying trends for flowers and plants. All campaign content and strategies are based closely on this valuable knowledge and research – from target audiences to key messages, storylines to visuals and more.
How do you decide which media to target?
Whilst PfE’s budgets have been significantly increased thanks to EU funding, they are still far from the level of famous global brands, so the campaign must be clever and creative with its marketing. Thus, strategic media partnerships are based on many factors. PfE works with highly skilled experts and specialists in each country. Their knowledge combined with PfE’s experience allows the campaign to target and achieve press coverage and collaborations with Europe’s top media including many outlets that could be viewed as ‘out of reach’ for PfE’s budgets.
How many POS materials are used in stores?
There is a large appetite for printed POS materials in Germany and Poland in particular, so these countries are the biggest target markets for POS promotional activity. Thousands of items are distributed to retailers in Germany and Poland each year. In other countries, materials are available to download online for free, and PfE sees hundreds of downloads per year.
Can I use your photos and materials for my own purposes?
In most cases the answer is yes: if you are a journalist, grower, retailer, or working in the pelargonium trade, PfE resources are here to support you. You can find all materials available in our trade area, where you can also read the Terms & Conditions for usage of PfE photos.
Where can I find consumer-facing content?
On our website you can B2C press releases, a photo library and a consumer-facing blog featuring pelargonium care tips and design ideas. On social media, PfE runs an internationally facing Instagram and Pinterest feed, and multiple Facebook pages in various languages.
I am in the geranium trade, how can I receive the latest campaign updates for my country?
Subscribe to PfE’s trade newsletter to receive international updates on campaign activities and results during and following the geranium season.