As the voice of the industry, SAF contacts companies and asks them to reconsider their promotional approach of knocking floral gifts. Among the companies contacted this Mother’s Day season: Coach, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Costa, LOFT, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar and Jiffy Lube International.
This Mother’s Day season, the Society of American Florists responded to 18 instances of harmful floral publicity to date. Ancestry.com and Coach rank as the “biggest offenders,” said SAF Director of Marketing and Communications Jenny Scala, as dozens of members reported “Forget Flowers” in their ads.
“The good news is that both companies acknowledged our concerns,” Scala said. “We hope they will keep us in mind when they develop future promotions.”
As the voice of the floral industry, SAF contacts companies that disparage flowers and asks them to reconsider their approach. “The main point of SAF’s response is to bring attention to the disparaging floral statements and ask advertisers to promote products on their own merits,” Scala said. “Success comes when the advertiser ceases running that particular promotion or at least takes note not to go that route in the future.”
Leather goods brand Coach focused its Mother’s Day print and online efforts on the slogan: “Forget Flowers: Give Mom something that’s just her style.” A day after sending its response, SAF received a reply from Andrea Shaw Resnick, the company’s global head of investor relations and corporate communications: “Thank you for your feedback.”
Ancestry.com, the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, sent an email with the subject line: “Forget the flowers, connect Mom to her roots – 25% off Ancestry.” Drew Stark in the company’s executive office responded to SAF: “Your feedback is being shared internally as you have requested for further review and consideration.”
Other companies contacted by SAF include:
- Frederick Jiffy Lube Service Center in Maryland advertised: “This Mother’s Day Forgo the Flowers: Get her an oil change that will last her thousands of miles!!” SAF contacted Jennifer Friedmann, marketing communications manager for Jiffy Lube International, who responded saying she would forward the comments to the local service center “so they can maintain a more mindful approach to their messaging moving forward. While I cannot speak on their behalf, I am sure they did not intend to belittle the floral industry.”
- Frontier Airlines sent an email with the subject line: “Send yourself instead of flowers”
- Massage Envy – Morgan Hill sent an email with the subject line: “Skip the Flowers – The gift mom wants is here.”
- Nebraska Crossing Outlets sponsored a Facebook post that read: “Looking for a gift that lasts longer than flowers?”
- Scout magazine in Vancouver ran an article headlined: “Forget Flowers On Mother’s Day And Give Her A Smashable Education In Rosé.” The article also includes: “Trust me. Your mom does not want any more flowers.”
- Signs outside Sonny’s BBQrestaurants read: “Skip the roses, Get her BBQ.”
By way of comparison, SAF responded to 19 cases in 2016; 11 cases in 2015; 14 in 2014; nine cases in 2013; 10 in 2012; and 16 in 2011. For Valentine’s Day, SAF responded to 23 cases in 2017 and 2016; 16 cases in 2015; 16 in 2014; 10 cases in 2013; 18 in 2012; and 39 in 2011.
Check out the E-brief articles in the May 10, May 3 and April 26 issues for details on SAF’s responses to Applebee‘s Neighborhood Grill and Bar, Costa, HuffPost, JURA Inc., LOFT, Mephisto, Nothing Bundt Cakes, One Day University, Target, and Time magazine for negative floral references in its Mother’s Day promotions.
Forward negative portrayals of flowers to SAF’s Jenny Scala at jscala@safnow.org.
