Endarra 81 Wins Two National Marketing Awards
Already recognized for its exceptional drought resistance, Endarra 81 Bemudagrass was recently honored for its innovative marketing communications that explain the science behind the grass. In May, the team at Sod Production Services and Endarra 81 won two First Place trophies at the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) conference held in Cleveland, Ohio.
The winning award entries focused on the branding of the grass. The actual name of the grass and the meaning behind it won the top prize in its category, as did the written brand identity elements (marketing handouts and science summaries) that licensed producers will use to promote the grass to their customers.
Details on the awards are below:
Endarra 81 Branding/Product Naming – First Place
Endarra 81’s distinctive name is a combination of the words ‘Indarra’ that means ‘strength,’ the Basque surname ‘Endara’ that means ‘endurance,’ and the English word ‘terrain’ that refers to the shape and surface of the land. Put together, Endarra describes a grass named for its strength and ability to endure environmental stress in lawn and landscape use.
The competition’s judges’ comments reflected their impressions of the brand name: “I really love the story behind the naming of this grass … Very creative with strong meaning … The strength of a name speaks to the strength and reliability of the product”
Endarra 81 Branding – Written brand identity elements
In preparation to introduce Endarra 81 to the turf industry, the Sod Production Services marketing team created three informational pieces that describe the benefits of the grass and the scientific research supporting the claims.
Judges’ comments in this category were similar and just as enthusiastic: “Creative brand development … concept with a story to help you remember the name and what it means … clear messaging of the benefits and features … I really appreciate the story behind this grass … The story paints a picture that solidifies the why and imprints in your memory.”
Stacie Zinn Roberts, Director of Marketing for Sod Production Services, at the 2026 TOCA awards holds trophies for Endarra 81 and certificates for Tahoma 31
The award-winning pieces are on the Endarra81.com website. Check out the benefits and features handout, scientific handout, and research document.
About TOCA
The Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) is comprised of editors, writers, publishers, photographers, public relations/advertising practitioners, industry association leaders, manufacturers, and others involved in green industry communications. It is a national organization based in New Prague, MN.
About Endarra 81
Endarra 81 is a new, high-quality, interspecific hybrid turf bermudagrass. It has exhibited a significantly improved drought resistance that, in numerous studies, shows it is as good as, if not more drought-resistant than TifTuf in a wide range of the southern United States. It has excellent fall color retention, and produces few seedheads. Endarra 81 has demonstrated excellent establishment characteristics and leaf spot disease resistance, fine leaf texture, high density, dark green color, and sufficient sod tensile strength for reliable, large-scale commercial production on farms.
Licensing opportunities for Endarra 81 are available in the United States, South America, and Asia through Sod Production Services. In Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, contact Semillas Fito.