You may be sweating the summer heat now, but it’s not too early to think about the holiday season and warm up your PR muscles. That’s what the Society of American Florists (SAF) is doing in a new PR campaign that positions flowers as the way to recognize unsung heroes this holiday season.
Launched in late July, the Holiday Acts of Flowers campaign is designed to put flowers at the top of holiday shopping lists by scoring national magazine coverage in November and December. The campaign includes a list of top 10 “unsung heroes” and offers ideas for floral gifts to recognize them over the holidays. The spokeswoman is M.J. Ryan, a gratitude expert and author of books such as “Random Acts of Kindness” and “Attitudes of Gratitude.”
To assemble a top 10 list of unsung heroes, SAF conducted a poll in June of 1,001 adults. Topping the list: neighbors (54 per cent), teachers (51 per cent), co-workers (50 per cent), child-care providers (47 per cent) and house cleaners (41 per cent). The survey also revealed that 70 per cent of consumers say they give more gifts than they receive during the winter holidays.
“There is something special about giving a gift of beauty that shows truly how much you care,” said M.J. Ryan in the press release. “Flowers are attractive, cheerful and are visibly displayed as a constant reminder of your appreciation.”
The release incorporates the results of the 2006 Power of Giving Flowers Study, funded by the American Floral Endowment. It reveals that those who send flowers, in comparison to other gifts, are viewed as successful, caring and emotionally intelligent people.
The Holiday Acts of Flowers PR campaign is a new twist on the 2008 Random Acts of Flowers PR program, both designed to broaden consumers’ perceptions of why and whom to give flowers. SAF is distributing the release to national publications in time for their holiday issues and will distribute the release to daily publications in October.
Florists can capitalize on the Holidays Acts of Flowers program to draw business to their shop. One idea: Each week leading up to the holidays, feature a different “unsung hero” on your Web site or e-newsletter and suggest a floral gift. Ask customers to nominate their own unsung hero, perhaps on your Facebook page. Consider choosing one recipient each week to receive a bouquet and post photos of the delivery. SAF members can download a customizable Holiday Acts of Flowers press release to send to their local media from www.safnow.org/customizable_press_releases.
To see the full list of unsung heroes and how SAF is positioning the Holiday Acts of Flowers to consumers and the media, visit www.aboutflowers.com.
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