NEWS
For Immediate Release: Contact: Feb. 28, 2005 Jenny Stromann jstromann@safnow.org (800) 336-4743
SAF Puts Flowers on Valentine’s Day Radar
By responding to dozens of offensive ads, giving floral advice to consumers and doling out statistics to media, the Society of American Florists (SAF) promoted professional florists and flowers this Valentine’s Day. As the voice of the industry, SAF serves as a reliable source for media organizations across the nation and handles the industry’s response to harmful publicity. Responding to Harmful Publicity A repeat offender topped the list of companies disparaging flowers this Valentine’s Day. Hershey’s ran -- for the second year -- a TV commercial that asks, “Who wants roses? Roses say I’m sorry.” In 2004, SAF sent the company a letter, and Hershey's responded: "Your comments about our advertising program are of importance to us. It is not our intention to offend any customers." This year, SAF reminded Hershey’s of its note and requested it discontinue the commercial. FTD and dozens of florists across the country also requested that the company discontinue the ad. At press time, Hershey’s had not responded. Other companies were more responsive. SAF sent more than four-dozen letters, e-mails and faxes to offending companies. Responses included: • Chick-fil-A Inc. chalked up its disparaging coupon ("Roses Schmoses - How Bout Chikin?") to comedy, but also offered apologies. "We assure everyone in the floral industry that Chick-fil-A had no intent of disparaging flowers or florists with this saying. The Chickfil-A cows were simply trying their hand at humor to try to 'save their hides.'" The company
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is developing a new "cow saying" for its 2006 Valentine coupon and it will "retire the one in question." • An ad for "The Notebook" DVD in the February issues of Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone magazines read: "Flowers Wilt ... This DVD Lasts Forever." SAF faxed letters to New Line Productions, which created the ad. A New Line Productions representative responded: "It was by no means meant to slight flowers. We love flowers. ... It was not meant to say buy one over the other. We appreciate your letter and certainly will be more sensitive." • A Steak n Shake counter card read: “Give a Steak n Shake Gift Card. Flowers wilt.” After SAF contacted Steak n Shake, the company responded via fax. The letter said, “It is always Steak n Shake’s objective to be inclusive in its Marketing and Advertising communications, and your letter indicated that this objective was not met. As a result, The Steak n Shake Company and MasterCard International have developed a new insert that will be arriving in all 431 Steak n Shake restaurants by February 25, 2005 with instructions for immediate installation Florists took action on a local level, too. BJ Dyer, AAF, of Bouquets in Denver, for example, contacted Pismo Fine Art Glass last Valentine's Day about an ad that read, "Flowers fade ..." This year, the company ran the same ad, minus the disparaging floral remark. Advising Consumers The Valentine's Day section on www.AboutFlowers.com, SAF's consumer Web site, had an estimated 10,650 visitors in the two weeks prior to the holiday. The visitors checked out creative card messages and popular design trends.
Answering Media Inquires SAF fielded nearly four-dozen media inquires in the days leading up to Valentine's Day this year. More than 75 stories touting SAF statistics ran in magazines and newspapers, including USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Miami Herald. Frequently cited statistics included:
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Estimated number of roses sold for Valentine's Day 2004: 175 million. (more)
SAF Puts Flowers on Valentine’s Day Radar……………………………………………3 Fifty-four percent of cut flowers purchased for Valentine's Day 2004 were roses. The average price for a dozen premium, long-stemmed arranged roses is $70 - the same as last year. Prices vary on stem length, grade of roses, services involved and geographic market. SAF is the voice of the industry in fighting negative floral publicity. If you come across a harmful portrayal of florists or floral products, contact SAF at (800) 336-4743; jstromann@safnow.org. While SAF provides support on a national level, local businesses also can make a difference. SAF members can visit www.safnow.org/marketing/negative.cfm for tips and sample letters on responding to negative floral references.
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### The Society of American Florists is the association leader for all segments of the floral industry including wholesalers, growers and retailers. SAF is proud to provide marketing, business and government services for more than 12,000 participants in the U.S. floral industry.