SAF in Action BY JENNIFER MCNALLY SAF PUTS FLOWERS FRONT AND CENTER ON MOTHER’S DAY


>Mother’s Day 2020 was a challenging holiday with COVID-19 changing both staffing in florist shops and ordering habits from consumers. In the run-up to the holiday, SAF


had a number of inquiries from media outlets to discuss what the industry was planning. Overall, we saw a lot of positive floral references. This year, Loft, the clothing company, reminded its cus- tomers, “You can still send flowers, even if you can’t be there to deliver them.” In addition, in its new At Home section, The New York Times encouraged read- ers to send flowers through local florists. SAF was quoted in a number of


publications on how flowers can boost moods. From national media including TV and radio spots to print media includ- ing the Los Angeles Daily News, ABC 7 and MarketWatch, SAF was called upon as the voice of the floriculture industry. Despite the positive coverage, it can


be discouraging when you see or hear a competitor or news outlet disparaging the gift of flowers. This year, SAF asked a number of groups to take a more positive approach. Among the companies recently con-


tacted by SAF: ■


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Wayfair, the online purveyor of home goods, games, accessories and furniture, suggested consumers “skip the flowers” and show mom love with gifts that last all year in a recent ad.


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Basil Hayden’s, a small batch Jim Beam whiskey, ran ads in publications such as Travel & Leisure magazine stating, “Because I don’t believe a houseplant warms a house.”


POSITIVITY, PLEASE SAF again reached out to companies around Mother’s Day to promote the holiday and positive advertising.


SAF received a response from the Travel & Leisure editor, noting that their publisher would pass along our concerns to Basil Hayden’s, and that she personally supports florists and small businesses in her neighborhood whenever she can.


Food Network suggested people skip the roses this year and instead give moms doughnut roses in a paid partnership social media post with Edible Arrangements.


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FlasKap, a company that sells drink containers, stated “Flowers rot. Our gift pours shots,” in a Facebook video and ad. The company also included “Forget the flowers” and other more colorful phrasing on its website.


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The Huffington Post ran a story on flower safety ahead of the holiday, with some advice that encouraged readers to order confidently, but a negative comparison calling flowers an “autopilot, non-thinking” way to express affection for mom.


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SAF members also contacted the association about a Mother’s Day story on “Good Morning America” that only highlighted a national floral company. In its outreach, SAF encouraged the morning news program to also consider directing viewers to retailers within their communities in future editorial coverage.


SAF ADVOCATES FOR WHOLESALER TAX RELIEF ON CREDIT DEFAULTS


> As COVID-19 continues to affect the balance sheet of floral industry businesses, SAF reached out to Congressional leadership to highlight one more ripple effect: customer credit defaults. A coalition of associations repre-


senting wholesalers across various industries joined forces to send a letter


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to the Hill asking Congressional leaders to prioritize legislation that would take into account the suddenly high volume of customer defaults on credit sales. Many customers buy inventory or input materials on short-term credit terms, particularly businesses in the industries hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis, such as restaurants, retailers, and venues


FLORAL MANAGEMENT | June 2020 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


for sport, events, and entertainment. Current law does not contemplate the abrupt and unexpected halt in a high volume of payments for these credit sales all at once. For floral industry wholesalers, the impact is even more acute because the timing of COVID-19 coincided with payments for Valentine’s Day orders coming due.


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