December 2016 Marketing
A Forward Thinking Initiative By Tim Hodson

In October, the Society for American Florists (SAF) hit the streets in more than 225 cities across the country to Petal It Forward.

“Happiness ambassadors” were out on the streets in full force to hand out flowers to thousands of people so they could experience the positive emotional benefits that flowers create.

The Petal It Forward program plays off of the pay it forward movement. People on the street were randomly surprised with flowers from the ambassadors. The recipients received two bouquets — one to keep and one to share with a friend, family member, co-worker or even a complete stranger — so they could make others happy.

According to Jennifer Sparks, SAF’s vice president of marketing, the organization’s research shows that 80 percent of people said that flowers make them happy and 88 percent said that giving flowers makes them happy!

Sparks says the research also shows that just being around flowers can improve a person’s mood. Seventy-six percent of the people surveyed said that having flowers in their home or office helps put them in a better frame of mind and make them feel cheerful.

Flower recipients also were encouraged to share their experience on their favorite social media channels with the hashtag #petalitforward to really help spread the word.

This is the second year of SAF’s Petal It Forward program. Last year, the campaign generated more than 212 million consumer impressions through traditional media coverage and 1.2 million more impressions on social media. SAF is still tallying this year’s results and the totals should be released some time this month.

Ben Dobbe, of Holland America Flowers in Arroyo Grande, California, said the Petal It Forward program “is a win-win for growers, wholesalers and retailers” because it creates such a positive buzz around the products our industry produces.

If you didn’t take part in this year’s Petal It Forward program then check out the YouTube video below to see what happens when these people receive random gifts of flowers.