When Great Lakes Hybrids first approached us in 2011, their initial question was: can you build us an app? At the time, we had never built a mobile app. But much like web design, video marketing, animation, and many other client requests that come across our desks, we quickly answered “YES!” – and then set to work figuring out how to make it happen.

The Goal:

The Great Lakes Hybrids sales team was being outfitted with iPads and they wanted the convenience of an electronic version of their printed seed guide to share with customers while out in the field.

One requirement of the app was that it needed to operate without a WiFi connection. This meant that the details of all their products – over 80 varieties of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa – needed to “live” in the app.

This resulted in the initial app being 556 MB – a whopper compared to many other apps on the market. But keep in mind, this is an entire product catalog – not a simple game or utility app.

The Need for a Seed Guide App

In developing the app we realized this app could be 2 things: 1- a convenient tool for GLH’s sales force and 2 – available for farmers to download to assist with their seed purchasing decisions.

Running a farming operation is expensive. More and more farmers are turning to technology to research products and services before making purchasing decisions. And customers have a choice when it comes to selecting the right seed. The Great Lakes Hybrids seed guide app provides the necessary details about products including performance, days to maturity, stacked traits, and agronomic details.

App Updates

Digital projects require updates so both the content along with the design do not get outdated. Over the years, we’ve made several updates to the Great Lakes Hybrids seed guide app to include the latest product offerings as well as a quick-view scroll bar to quickly view products. We were also able to reduce the file size from its initial 556 MB to 121 MB.

The End Product

When we launched the app in 2012, it was one of the first seed guide apps of its kind available on the App Store. It was exciting for Great Lakes Hybrids to be ahead of their competitors in mobile technology.

Soon after the launch of the Great Lakes Hybrids seed guide app, MCG was named Agency of Record for Great Lakes Hybrids. We have since been challenged with updating every aspect of their branding from print advertising, billboards, digital ads and printed seed guides to television, radio, and PR campaigns. It’s been great to see Great Lakes Hybrids succeed in reworking all of their branding and we couldn’t be happier with our partnership!

About Great Lakes Hybrids

Great Lakes Hybrids is a regional seed company based near Lansing, Michigan. They have been in business since 1921 and they offer several varieties of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. Their typical sales process is through their strong relationships with their customers and dealer network.