SAF's Local Marketing Kit Promotes Everyday & Special Celebration Flowers

ALEXANDRIA, VA  — Members of the Society of American Florists received a special delivery in August — a big, bold and beautiful tool to promote everyday and special celebration flowers. SAF's newest local Marketing Kit includes two new posters and tips for creating coordinated campaigns using matching materials available free online to members.

The poster headlined "Mood Changer" reinforces the positive impact flowers have on emotions as proven by Rutgers University. "Everyday business is so important to local florists," said SAF's Vice President of Consumer Marketing Jennifer Sparks. "Through this concept, we want to plant the seed in consumers' minds on the happy emotions a gift of flowers bring," Sparks said.

The second poster headlined, "Table for Two. Party of Six. Celebration of the Year," features three monochromatic centerpieces against a dramatic black backdrop. "It is designed to promote centerpieces as the perfect touch for any occasion and shows how florists are key to any event, intimate or lavish," Sparks said.

SAF's marketing team worked with freelance designer Carol Caggiano, AIFD, PFCI, of A. Caggiano, Inc., in Jeffersonton, Virginia, who created the featured floral arrangements.

Caggiano used bright colors to paint "Mood Changer." Hot pink roses, 'Green Trick' carnations, green cymbidiums, orange ranunculus with succulents casually grouped in a glass cylinder lined with variegated aspidistra make a perfect gift to send sentiments of congratulations, happy birthday, get well, or thinking of you, Caggiano said.

To illustrate "Table for Two," Caggiano created casual groupings of reds — roses, tulips, mini gerberas, and mokara orchids — flanked by two loops of lily grass in a textured silver mercury glass container. "The arrangement itself would be perfect for a romantic dinner, sold in multiples for a longer table, or as an accent piece at a wedding such as on cocktail or coffee table, or in a lady's room vanity," Caggiano said.

Yellows dominate the "Party of Six" arrangement. Yellow callas, roses, ranunculus, poms, and cream carnations are casually grouped in a glass pedestal lined with fresh moss. "Dusty miller in the arrangement gives the yellow an upscale personality," Caggiano said, "and sprigs of oncidium orchids give an air of height with openness." This type of centerpiece would be ideal for weddings, birthday celebrations, corporate events or brunches.

For "Celebration of the Year," Caggiano designed two tight bunches of purple callas, and placed the bunches stem-to-stem, evocative of an hourglass shape. She then collared the callas with cymbidium orchids and purple phalaenopsis, and submerged them in a tall clear glass cylinder. "This dramatic centerpiece would be perfect for a sophisticated wedding or corporate event," Caggiano suggested.

Along with the posters, SAF's Marketing Kit includes exclusive member access to matching customizable print ads and fliers, web ads and Facebook graphics, how-to advice and promotional ideas available for download from safnow.org/kits. Matching postcards and statement stuffers are available for order.

SAF's consumer marketing programs and materials are possible thanks to SAF retail dues and voluntary contributions to the SAF Fund for Nationwide Public Relations by wholesalers, suppliers, importers and growers. Visit www.safnow.org/prfund or call (800) 336-4743 for information on how to support this important industry initiative.

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The Society of American Florists is the leading organization representing all segments of the floral industry. SAF is proud to provide marketing, business and government services to its members, including growers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, importers, educators, designers and allied organizations. The association was chartered by an act of Congress in 1884.

Source: The Society of American Florists