> THE EXPERIENCE EFFECT The campaign earned Arizona Flower


Market the Society of American Florists’ 32nd Annual Marketer of the Year award, which recognizes innovative and effective marketing programs across the floral industry. A panel of industry and marketing professionals selected Tempe Blooms from among this year’s eight entries, citing its originality, scale and measurable results. Judge Dani Mackey, a marketing


communications professional, says the campaign stood out because it success- fully brought flowers to consumers in a creative way while generating significant visibility and sales. “It had everything,” she says. “I was wowed by it.”


A Shift in Perspective The idea emerged in the years following the pandemic, when Brent Denham and his team noticed that consumers were increasingly seeking meaningful experi- ences and connections. “The realization wasn’t a single


moment — it was a shift in perspective that happened after the pandemic,” Denham says. “As life returned to normal, we noticed people were craving connection and meaningful experiences more than ever before.” At the same time, they observed


something happening every day across their floral businesses. Through both Arizona Family Florist and Arizona Flower Market, they watched customers interact with flowers in ways that went far beyond a typical transaction. “Whenever people were around


flowers, something changed,” Denham says. “They slowed down. They touched the flowers. They smelled them. They smiled. Most importantly, they started telling stories.” Customers shared memories of


grandparents who gardened, wedding bouquets, favorite flowers and loved ones they missed. Those conversations sparked a


realization. “We weren’t simply selling a


product,” Denham says. “Flowers create moments, memories and conversations. Our goal became helping people build a relationship with flowers long before they ever needed to purchase them.” That philosophy became the founda-


tion for Tempe Blooms. Tempe Blooms


The Return • 99,500+ attendees • •


3.4 million organic social media reach


• 78 earned media placements 5 million total social media reach


• 67 participating vendors • 45+ merchants and community partners


• $134,549 in direct event sales for Arizona Flower Market


The Campaign Arizona Flower Market transformed downtown Tempe into an immersive floral festival featuring large-scale floral installations, educational sem- inars, hands-on workshops, design competitions, live demonstrations, artists, musicians and community partnerships. Rather than marketing flowers as products, the campaign invited consumers to experience them through art, education and interaction.


The Investment: Approximately $23,000 Arizona Flower Market invested in large-scale floral installations, influ- encer programming, community events and experiential marketing. The investment also helped support participating florists through installation budgets, stipends, hard-good reimbursements and access to wholesale flowers and supplies.


BRINGING THE VISION TO LIFE Local fl oral professionals transformed downtown Tempe into an immersive showcase, creating large-scale installations that invite the public to encounter fl owers as art, entertainment and experience.


24 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | September/October 2026 | WWW.SAFNOW.ORG


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