ESPN removed “Forget flowers” from its promotion after hearing from SAF.
Just two days after SAF asked ESPN to pull its Mother’s Day promotion that read “Forget flowers,” the global sports network responded — with a new ad.
“We passed your feedback along to the appropriate teams and, upon reflection, decided it was best to adjust the copy,” said ESPN Senior Publicist Ana Livia Coelho in a May 4 email to SAF. “We are big fans of flowers and the floral industry and we certainly think they will continue to be a predominant Mother’s Day staple. We were simply trying to provide an idea for moms who might be more sport-minded.”
The adjusted ESPN ad contained no reference to flowers: “Give mom what she really wants this Mother’s Day. Shop now!”
This year’s holiday brought out a high number of negative ads, compared to recent years. ESPN was among the 19 companies SAF contacted this year. By comparison, SAF responded to 10 cases of harmful Mother’s Day publicity in 2015; 14 in 2014; eight in 2013; 10 in 2012; and 16 in 2011.
“Knocking flowers in email subject lines was a popular tactic used by many of the companies we contacted this Mother’s Day,” said SAF Director of Marketing and Communications Jenny Scala. “Members who received those emails were quick to forward them along to SAF so we could respond.”
When contacting companies, SAF points out the negative floral remark and urges companies to promote their products on their own merits.
“Often times, companies don’t realize their promotions are negative until we bring it to their attention,” Scala said.
Tysons Corner Center, the largest shopping mall in Virginia, sent an email for store gift cards that included, “Better than flowers….” SAF reached out to Bob Maurer, senior marketing manager at Macerich, the third-largest owner and operator of shopping centers in the United States and the company that distributed the Tysons Corner Center email. In less than an hour, Maurer responded to SAF: “Although the email was not intended to be deprecatory, I have shared your sentiment with our corporate digital team.”
Even charitable organizations make negative references to flowers without realizing the potential impact on the industry. St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation in Ontario emailed a donation request with the subject line, “Skip the flowers, do something that counts!”
SAF reached out to the Foundation, and received this response: “Please know it was not our intention to cast a negative light on the joy that flowers undoubtedly bring nor did we intend to single out the floral industry or our friends and partners within that community. Please accept our sincere apology if we inadvertently offended anyone,” said Laura Pagnotta, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation’s Marketing & Communications Director, in an email to SAF. “We are truly grateful to our community of donors and supporters, from all industries and backgrounds, who enable us to bring hope, healing and discovery to patients at St. Joe’s and beyond.”
Other companies SAF contacted include:
- Crain’s Chicago Business, a weekly business newspaper, sent an email promotion for subscriptions that read, “Ditch the flowers” in its subject line, and the message included, “Flowers are nice, but Crain’s is better.”
- HomeFront, a charitable organization to end homelessness in Central New Jersey, mailed donation request cards that showed a picture of drooping flowers and read, “You could give her flowers this Mother’s Day. Or you could give something that lasts forever.”
- Jamba Juice Company, a restaurant retailer with over 800 locations in 26 states, sent an email that included, “Skip the Flowers, Send Goodness.”
- Portland Monthly magazine in Oregon sent an email with “Skip the flower shop this year” in its subject line.
As reported earlier, SAF had responded to these companies:
- Best Buy sent an email promotion with the subject line: “Modern Moms want more than flowers.”
- Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, a restaurant chain with 12 locations in six states, sent an email with the subject line: “Far superior to flowers.”
- Fanatics Authentic, an online retailer of licensed sports merchandise, tweeted a photo of dead flowers: “This #MothersDay ❤ give a gift that last forever ;).”
- A TV commercial for Fitbit, a company that produces wireless-enabled activity trackers, shows a flower arrangement and says not to give the same gift.
- Garmin, a developer of GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications, sent an email that included the verbiage: “With Mother’s Day around the corner, forget flowers — give her the gift of an active lifestyle!”
- Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company in Maine sent an email promotion with the subject line: “Ship Lobster to Mom and skip the flowers!” After hearing from SAF, Cal Hancock, the company’s founder and president, replied: “It certainly was not intended to disparage the flower industry. It was intended to be a way of saying Happy Mother’s Day and nothing else. This was the only email of its type in our promotion schedule. Next year we should think about collaborating and figure out a way to have our respective industries send both flowers and lobster – now that would be a great Mother’s Day gift.”
- An ad by skincare products company Nerium International reads: “What will you give your Mom this Mother’s Day???” It shows a photo of flowers with the words: “… and they DIE!”
- Nest Labs, a producer of Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, smoke detectors and other security systems, distributed an email with the subject line: “Better than a bouquet.”
- Reebok sent an email with the subject line: “Give Mom Something Other Than Flowers.”
- Fresh grill and wine bar Seasons 52 with 43 locations in 17 states sent an email with the subject line: “Don’t say it with flowers – say it with brunch.”
- Apple computer specialist Simply Mac sent an email that read: “Better than Flowers. Get Mom what she really wants.”
- Shane Co., the largest privately owned jeweler in the United States, with locations in 14 major metro areas, including St. Louis, Atlanta and San Francisco, has radio commercials that say flowers die.
Members should report negative portrayals of flowers to SAF’s Jenny Scala at jscala@safnow.org.