Scotts Miracle-Gro names VaynerMedia's Nick Miaritis as its first chief brand officer, a new role consolidating marketing and digital strategy under one executive as part of the SMG 2.0 lifestyle brand push.
SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO currently carries an Alpha Score of n/a, giving AlphaScala's model a neutral read on the setup.
MARYSVILLE, Ohio – Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) named Nick Miaritis to a new executive vice president and chief brand officer role, the company said Thursday. The post is a first for the lawn-care giant, consolidating oversight of its marketing, brand strategy, and digital push under one executive.
Miaritis joins from VaynerMedia, where he was chief client officer, leading brand partnerships and building new capabilities at the global creative and media agency. He reports to President and Chief Operating Officer Nate Baxter.
Baxter framed the hire as part of SMG 2.0, the company's push to reposition itself as a broader outdoor lifestyle brand. "Our SMG 2.0 growth plans are centered on channel expansion, category growth and innovation grounded in naturals and organics," he said in the release. "Delivering on these growth drivers requires us to engage with consumers in more powerful ways."
The appointment signals a shift in how the company thinks about its consumer reach. Baxter described Miaritis as "the architect of our growth machine," tasked with building a social- and digital-first marketing engine. The company, which does roughly $3.3 billion in sales, owns the Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Ortho, and Tomcat brands – each a category leader in North American lawn and garden.
Miaritis is a Georgetown graduate with a track record of building culturally relevant campaigns. His background at VaynerMedia – a firm known for blending creativity with business impact – fits the brief of connecting with a new generation of consumers, Baxter said.
"We have huge opportunities to win with consumers and bring more people into the lawn and garden category," Miaritis said. He pointed to expanding household penetration through a social- and digital-first approach.
The move comes as SMG works to broaden its footprint beyond traditional retail, leaning into ecommerce and direct-to-consumer channels. The chief brand officer role, new to the company, consolidates functions that were previously split across marketing and brand teams.
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