McCann London and McCann Health London have launched Smart Plants in collaboration with online plant retailer Plant Drop.

Working with the University of Oxford botanist Chris Thorogood and utilising open-source NASA data the collaboration uses the lens of plant’s pollution-absorbing properties as a path to plant purchase decisions. 

The innovative campaign is based on the insight that while consumers are familiar with air pollution outside, most people do not consider the impact of harmful pollution inside their own homes. Inside toxins are given off from everyday items including furniture, air fresheners, scented candles and pets.

Dom Butler, Founder of Plant Drop, explains: “Our new E-commerce tool transforms the way we shop for plants, instead of buying them based on their looks, people can now buy them based on their lifestyle, whether they’ve moved into a new home, have pets or burn scented candles.”

Plants oxygenate the atmosphere, but few people know that they also have the power to scrub the air of harmful toxins. NASA conducted research to test the pollution-absorbing power of houseplants with the aim of bringing them into the International Space Station so astronauts could breathe cleaner air. 

McCann London and McCann Health London have created a system that categorises everyday houseplants that can help remove specific toxins from the home for Plant Drop.

Dr Chris Thorogood, Deputy Director and Head of Science at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum, says: “Plants are natural smart filters for indoor pollutants. They do what's called phytoremediation, which means they’re able to remove pollution and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air that we can’t see. Nature has been tried and tested by evolution for hundreds of millions of years, so what better solution can there be for a natural air purifier?”

The five main pollutants identified within the home are xylene, trichloroethylene, benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia. 

A simple and intuitive design system called the ‘Pollutant Absorption System’ was established to identify which of the five pollutants each houseplant removes from the air, allowing people to buy plants based on their lifestyle and living situation. The Pollutant Absorption System - displayed on labels and tags inside each plant pot – and brought to life via a simple questionnaire, makes it easy for customers to find a plant that suits their needs.

Rob Doubal, Co-Chief Creative Officer of McCann UK and Co-President McCann London, added: “Most people live in connected smart homes, but the Pollutant Absorption System helps mother nature to play an active role in regulating and improving our homes. By integrating the system within the e-commerce shopping experience a few simple lifestyle questions can serve up the plants that are best suited for your living needs, meaning you’re buying plants based on what they can do for your home environment rather than just how they look on the bookshelf.”

The team hopes that the disruptive idea extends beyond a single brand and a dedicated website has been launched to make the Pollution Absorption System available to download by all plant retailers, nurseries & horticulturalists so that it can be integrated into labelling, point-of-sale and communications.

Smart Plants, which is live on Plant Drop’s website, is a compelling example of the power of the fresh lens of a challenger mindset to drive new creative approaches to ecommerce.