SAF reached out to several businesses and one magazine about their Mother’s Day advertisements and a news story that disparaged flowers. That advocacy work resulted in a greeting card company and the magazine taking action to correct their messaging.
The Society of American Florists and its members were instrumental in promoting favorable media messaging around Mother’s Day flowers, and SAF’s advocacy work even prompted two organizations to take action to correct their negative focus on flowers.
A greeting card company removed their Facebook ad bashing flowers and a New York lifestyle magazine said it would update its article online after the Society of American Florists contacted each and asked them to reconsider their approach.
“SAF knows how important it is to send the positive messaging about the benefits of flowers, not just at floral holidays such as Mother’s Day, but year-round,” says Elizabeth Daly, SAF’s marketing and communications manager. “We are pleased to see that these organizations were receptive to how they disparaged flowers and were eager to correct their mistakes.”
Fresh Cut Paper, a company that creates pop-up greeting cards, removed its Facebook ad that included one of their floral bouquet greeting cards next to a vase of dead flowers. The ad said, “Freshcut Paper. Finally, flowers that last forever.”
After SAF reached out to the company, the director of operations responded with a positive message. “We agree completely and have asked our marketing company to remove that ad immediately. We really appreciate you bringing this to our attention, and we will do better in the future!”
Westchester Magazine published a story with the headline, “Mom Will Love These Locally Made Mother’s Day Presents. This Mother’s Day, skip the flowers and shop from local, online stores and makers for a one-of-a-kind gift that Mom is sure to appreciate.” SAF asked the magazine to reconsider the message to “skip flowers” and reminded the magazine that there are many local florists. The digital managing editor replied, saying they would “update the article accordingly.” The headline has since been changed.
SAF also reached out to these businesses:
- A facial spa called Hand & Stone sent a promotional email with the subject line, “Skip the Flowers and Brighten Mom’s Day with a Facial or Massage!” The text of the email read, “Skip the Mother’s Day Flowers. We’ve got something better.”
- Restaurant chain Fogo de Chao sent an email to promote reservations for Mother’s Day dining with the text, “Forgo the flowers this Mother’s Day and gift her something more flavorful.”
- Bloomscape, an online plant retailer posted a sponsored Facebook as that read, “This Mother’s Day, ditch the dead flowers. Gift lush, long lasting life your loved ones will cherish for a lifetime.” The ad included a picture of dead flowers.
(SAF also contacted these businesses in the past few weeks.)
SAF’s advocacy work also proactively kept one writer from dogging flowers. The author of an article published by the business news website PYMNTS.com knew of SAF’s negative publicity outreach and was careful to give a nod to flowers first when writing an article suggesting gifting mom cryptocurrency and NFTS (non-fungible tokens). In the article, the author pointed to a National Retail Federation survey that found flowers were expected to be a top gift. Then, before promoting cryptocurrency and NFTS, the writer quoted an SAF NOW article, noting that the association had “registered its displeasure with several Mother’s Day gifting campaigns” that bashed flowers.
Flowers in the News
The media was focused on inflation this Mother’s Day and SAF and its members were on tap to offer informational interviews about the increased costs, as well as advice for consumers ordering flowers on a budget.
MarketWatch published an article focused on inflation and educated readers as to why Mother’s Day flowers would cost more this year. “Flowers are delicate, perishable, require skill to grow, and often travel long distances before they reach the dinner table on Mother’s Day,” the article says. It went on to say that the cost of fertilizer, transportation, and even the boxes in which flowers are shipped had increased. SAF chairperson Chris Drummond, AAF, PFCI, of Penny’s By Plaza Flowers in Philadelphia, explained that just like other commodities, inflation is also affecting flowers. “Flowers are not immune to this inflation,” Drummond was quoted in the article.
Another SAF member, Blumengarten’s Flowers, was featured in a Pittsburgh CBS news affiliate spot. President Tim Ludwig told the reporter that flowers were a popular gift because they help express emotion. “It is that memory, and that way to say I love you, that maybe words can’t describe,” he said in the segment. Ludwig also suggested consumers consider mixed bouquets, or for the consumer who wanted a gift that would last longer, a blooming plant. He emphasized florists “can really meet any budget.”
The ability to meet any budget was also the message that SAF CEO Kate Penn sent when she was interviewed by the Today Show for its April 29 segment. “The beauty of flowers and plants is that really, regardless of your budget, there is something out there for you,” Penn said during the broadcast when asked how consumers can buy flowers on a tight budget. “Tell your florist what your budget is and say, ‘These are my favorite colors, or these are this mother’s favorite flowers, and …here’s what I want to spend’ — and they’ll make it happen.”
SAF member Kevin McCarthy, president of Family Flowers, which has locations in nine states, was included in a Wall Street Journal article, “This Mother’s Day, Say It With Dried Flowers.” McCarthy told the newspaper that Etsy and Pinterest have “pushed the trend forward,” allowing dried bouquets to be sold alongside fresh bouquets. Many consumers now want to purchase dried flowers in hues to match wedding or party décor with rustic or Bohemian themes, he told the Wall Street Journal. His shops began offering dried bouquets six months ago. “Before it was sold as a novelty,” he is quoted in the article.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the managing editor of SAF NOW.
