As the watchdog of the floral industry, SAF responds to ads, such as these from 2022, that bash flowers in an effort to promote other Valentine’s Day gifts and services.
It’s that time of year when flowers are often portrayed in a negative light to give a competitive edge to other products vying for Valentine’s Day spending dollars.
As the voice of the floral industry, the Society of American Florists responds to news publications and businesses that disparage fresh flowers, asking companies to promote products based on their own merits and key selling points instead of making unnecessary and unfair remarks about flowers. (Have you seen an offender? Let us know!)
Last year, SAF responded to more than 20 ads that disparaged flowers including luxury retailer Tory Burch and Nordstrom. In some cases, SAF received responses.
The Adventure Company, which creates custom guidebooks for date nights, family vacations and more, advertised their “Couples Adventures” guidebook for Valentine’s Day by sending an email with the subject line, “Ditch the flowers this year.” The body of the email said, “This year, give each other a gift that will last a lifetime.”
The company offered an apology to florists negatively affected by their email. “Our intention was not that people would stop flowers altogether, but more of a playful jab to encourage people to invest in long-lasting gifts as well. We will definitely consider this in future advertisements and ad campaigns and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.”
Members of the floral community can complement SAF’s efforts by also reaching out directly to the publication or business and communicating the impact this type of advertising can have on their businesses. In your response, be objective, diplomatic, and reasonable. Describe why you find the article or advertisement offensive or unfair. Urge the advertiser to promote products based on their own merits.
Visit SAF’s Counteracting Negative Publicity resource center for more information.
If you spot a harmful advertisement or article about flowers, please contact Elizabeth Daly, marketing and communications manager, at edaly@safnow.org.
Elizabeth Daly is the marketing and communications manager for the Society of American Florists.
