'Today' Dispels Poinsettia Myth

After years of dispelling the myth about poinsettia toxicity, SAF's efforts paid off once again when reporters on NBC's The Today Show endorsed the popular Christmas plant as a safe, nontoxic holiday option.
 
The mention last week on the show, which averages about 6 million viewers each morning, is great news for the floral industry. "I almost fell out of my chair!" says Paul Ecke III, of Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, Calif., whose family has been growing poinsettias since 1920, of his reaction. "They went on to talk about mistletoe and other (potentially toxic) stuff, but they spared our favorite holiday plant."

"In the past few years, there has been a decrease in the number of news reports about the alleged toxicity of poinsettias and an increase in the number of media stories and news reports, like the Today Show's, that clear the poinsettia's name," says Jennifer Sparks, SAF's vice president of marketing. The poinsettia also has been removed from most toxic plant lists.

SAF has been fighting for years to dispel the toxic poinsettia myth and even sent a letter to the Today Show in 2002 in response to a remark made about poinsettia toxicity on the show.

If you see or hear a news report that mistakenly labels poinsettias as toxic, contact Jenny Stromman at jstromann@safnow.org or fax information to (703) 836-8705.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Floral Marketing Initiative Update

The Floral Marketing Funding Initiative Coaltion's development committee recently agreed on the ingredients of a successful floral industry promotion order. They'll present their recommendations to growers and importers for feedback during the next four to six months.

The committee, made up of major domestic producers and importers, agreed on a 2 percent assessment on cut flowers and cut greens at the domestic producer and importer level, according to the coalition's president, Charles F. Kremp 3rd, AAF, Kremp Florist in Philadelphia, who, along with Red Kennicott, AAF, of Kennicott Brothers in Chicago, and Clay Sieck, of Sieck Wholesale in Baltimore, launched the coalition last spring. They also agreed that any importer or domestic grower whose volume is less than $100,000 would be exempt from paying the assessment.

Domestic growers and importers must vote in favor of the program before it's initiated, Kremp says; if passed, a referendum to continue the promotion order would be scheduled four years after the program is initiated. Each business' vote would be weighted by its dollar volume, and a majority of the volume voting would be necessary for passage.

"The group has done a good job in teasing out all of the issues," says Tom O'Brien, an attorney who specializes in promotion and marketing orders and is guiding the effort. "These meetings now need to be duplicated time and time again."

During the next four to six months, the development committee will take their ideas to domestic growers around the country and to importers in Miami to get input.

Once the industry can gain consensus on how the program will work -- by the summer of 2007, Kremp hopes -- they'll turn it over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for approval, a process which typically takes about a year. "They basically want to make sure that it's fair to all segments of the industry," Kremp says. He doesn't anticipate a problem with the USDA's acceptance. "We've been working with the USDA all along throughout this process, just to make sure there aren't any surprises for them."

Importer Gustavo Moreno, of Cultivos Miramonte, who's co-chairing the committee with domestic grower Michael Mellano Sr., AAF, of Mellano and Company in San Luis Rey, Calif., says the effort to raise funds for industry promotion is critical to the industry's success. 

"It is vitally important for the industry to act responsibly now to avoid casualties later," he says. "If demand doesn't grow, people will be out of business." Adds Mellano: "Everyone was in support of the concept of a promotion. It is now important for everyone to look at this as an investment and not a cost."  

See past E-brief articles Floral Marketing Coalition Takes Next Step and Floral Groups Join Forces for Marketing Initiative for more information.

--Kate Penn
kpenn@safnow.org

 
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Home Ecology Study Grabs Headlines

Residents of Columbus, Ohio suffering from holiday blues were treated to some good news Dec. 3 -- flowers can help fight off depression and anxiety. According to a story in the Columbus Dispatch: "New behavioral research at Harvard Medical School shows that anxiety and depression are eased by flowers in the home." 

Called the "Home Ecology of Flowers Study," the Harvard research cited in the story is a result of a collective effort and strategic alliance by SAF and the Flower Promotion Organization (FPO). The SAF/FPO Alliance is publicizing the Home Ecology findings through a public relations campaign designed to place the floral message in the context of everyday news stories.

The Columbus newspaper wasn't the only publication to pick up on the study. Other recent stories include:

The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., reported on the Harvard research and quoted lead researcher, Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. "People... reported feeling less depressed and anxious, more energetic and just all-around more upbeat," Etcoff said of the results. "The same effect carried over when flowers were brought to work, too." The article also cites SAF's Emotional Impact of Flowers Study, conducted at Rutgers University: "Data showed that 100 percent of those receiving flowers had what psychologists call the 'Duchenne smile,' that genuine smile that brings a glow to the face and crinkles to the eye."

The Contra Costa Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., mentioned the Harvard research in its "Indoors & Out" column on Nov. 11: "We could never explain it, but we've always known that a bouquet of flowers can make us feel content, cheerful, or comforted. Now researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School have found evidence of a link between flowers and the better qualities within us."

SAF members can capitalize on the research and generate publicity by sending local media a Home Ecology press release.

Read about the launch of the Home Ecology of Flowers public relations campaign.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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White House Goes Red

The White House's Red Room inspired "Deck the Halls and Welcome All," the theme of the historic building's holiday decor this year, First Lady Laura Bush told reporters last week, during a press preview before a slew of holiday parties.

"We're using big arrangements, as you can see, of red carnations that Nancy Clarke, our florist, has put together for us," said Bush, who started the preview in the East Room where Clarke, the White House florist since 1981, mixed fuchsia and red carnations in vermeil

The First Lady tells the press about the White House holiday decor.

containers.

"It's such a perfect house to decorate for the holidays, because of the predominant use of red in the decoration of the White House," Bush said.

The Red Room's holiday decorations include a cranberry tree (the tradition dates back to 1975) and poinsettias in silvered containers.

The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is an 18-foot, 6-inch Douglas fir presented by Francis and Margaret Botek and their children of the Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Pa. (The Boteks were named the 2006 National Grand Champion Growers by the National Christmas Tree Association.) In all, the White House will display 17 Christmas trees this year around the house.

No plans to stop by the White House this holiday season? You can see a video of Mrs. Bush's tour online. Or, if you're visiting Washington, stop by the White House Visitor Center at the Department of Commerce, 1450 Pennsylvania Ave.

--Mary Ann Barton
mbarton@safnow.org

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'Simple' Key to UK Floral Marketing Push

A new marketing campaign is trying to take the guesswork out of buying -- and arranging -- flowers for British consumers, particularly women 35 and over. Funded by the Flower Council of Holland and directed by the UK's Flowers and Plants Association, the campaign, "So Simple. So Try It," launched in September, and its message is, well, quite simple, says Jonathon Read, a representative of the Flower Council: Buy flowers.

Art from the campaign encourages women to buy flowers.

"We looked closely at the market and realized women, to some extent, were scared of flowers," Read says. "The logic being that there is a kind of thinking, 'I'm a woman so I should be good at these things, and if I'm not, I'll look foolish.' But, (through the campaign), we're saying flowers are not rocket science. There's no right and wrong, and that's very liberating."

Through print and TV ads, the campaign is, in some ways, an extension of "Why Wait?" -- a recently discontinued campaign organized by the two groups that encouraged young women to buy flowers for themselves.

"(Why Wait) was a well-organized campaign and, among its target audience, the propensity to buy flowers went up," Read says. "We felt it had run its course, so we broadened our market to look at women over 35."

The new campaign relies on trendy graphics and hip language, as well as a dedicated Web site, to reach out to consumers, doling out advice not only on the types of flowers to buy but also giving tips -- in the form of two-or three-step instructions -- on how to create basic designs, an aspect of the campaign that initially rubbed some florists the wrong way, Read says.

"Within the industry, some florists were skeptical because they thought (the campaign) was just helping supermarkets," he says. "But they now seem to understand that the opposite is true. We've posted tips for florists on the Web site on how to make the campaign work in your shop."

So far, the campaign, which has a budget of 650,000 pounds (about $1.28 million), is generating positive buzz within the industry, Read says, adding that, while it's difficult to quantify results yet, the campaign should have staying power.

"This is a campaign that we will build on over the coming two or three years," he says. "There's an intention to carry it through."

Find out more.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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City Council Votes to Block 'Supercenters'

The San Diego City Council voted Nov. 27 to ban certain giant retail stores. The 5-3 vote prohibits "stores of more than 90,000 square feet that use 10 percent of space to sell groceries and other merchandise that is not subject to sales tax." The council's decision was seen as at least a temporary blow to Wal-Mart Inc., which had plans to expand in the city, according to The New York Times.

''I have a vision for San Diego and that vision is about walkable, livable communities, not big, mega-structures that inhibit people's lives," Councilman Tony Young said to the Times.

Not everyone was pleased with the vote: ''Quite simply, I do not think it is the role of the San Diego City Council to dictate where families should buy their groceries,'' said Councilman Kevin Faulconer. And, the mayor, Jerry Sanders, has said that he will veto the ban if the council reaffirms it in a second vote in January, Fred Sainz, mayoral spokesman, said to the paper.

''What the council did tonight was social engineering, not good public policy,'' Sainz said.

Former SAF board member Penny Coley of San Diego Flowers by Coley agrees. "We are not Wal-Mart fans, but we respect their right to open a legitimate business of any kind," she says. "We can't start legislating what you can and can't sell when you're working within the legal parameters that are there. You can't legislate competition away."

Wal-Mart has 18 regular stores in the San Diego area but no "supercenters," which are larger and carry a wider variety of products. Overall, the company has about 2,000 supercenter stores in the United States, including 21 in California.

''Certainly we're disappointed but there's still a number of steps left in this process,'' Kevin McCall, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said to the Times. ''We need to look at what our options are.''

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Retailers Hiring Customers to Help on Holidays

With the U.S. unemployment rate at a five-year low -- 4.4 percent nationally -- finding temporary staff for your flower shop during the winter holidays can give even the merriest florist a bad case of "Bah Humbug!"

But don't give up hope. You might borrow a tactic from the mass merchandisers playbook by finding holiday help among your best customers, according to a recent Associated Press (AP) story.

"We find that so many people who shop with us are enthusiastic and passionate about Radio Shack, and they like to be in our stores," Erin Quillian, a human resources manager for Radio Shack, told the AP. "We encourage employees to talk to customers and ask if anyone might be interested in seasonal positions."

Radio Shack takes that concept a step further by printing "help-wanted" ads on their receipts. Checkout clerks at Target stores in suburban Dallas hand customers a help-wanted flyer with their change. Best Buy provides $150 bonuses for current employees who give them holiday employee referrals.

How do you entice customers who might not see themselves as candidates for a part-time, minimum-wage job? "You somehow have to spin a web or create some magic or some kind of an intimacy with that buyer that makes them feel like this is a cool and not undignified place to spend a few hours a week," Mark Jaffe, president of Wyatt & Jaffe, an executive search firm in Minneapolis, told the AP.

Read Floral Management's December "Hands On"  story about how Sten Crissey, AAF, of Crissey's Flowers & Gifts in Seattle, Wa., brings in volunteers to help during the holidays. (Click on "Hands" for the first two pages of the article, and "On" for the last page.)

Let us know how you find holiday help in this week's E-poll.

--Mary Ann Barton
mbarton@safnow.org

 
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Consumers Reach for Debit Cards

When consumers stop into your flower shop to pick up that holiday hostess gift or table arrangement, they'll more than likely whip out a debit card to pay for it, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). According to an NRF survey, 39.1 percent of consumers will use the cards, up from 34.3 percent last year.

"With full schedules, many people find it hard to carve out time in their day to get their holiday shopping done," says Tracy Mullin, NRF president and CEO. "Time-strapped shoppers enjoy the convenience of debit/check cards when out shopping for holiday gifts, eliminating the need to make an extra trip to the bank or ATM to withdraw money."

One in three will use credit cards and for the first time in two years, the number of people using cash will drop. According to the survey, 24.3 plan to use cash, compared to 28.5 percent last year and 25.9 percent in 2004. About 6.2 percent plan to write checks (compared to 9.1 percent last year).

--Mary Ann Barton
mbarton@safnow.org

 
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British Hospital Bans Most Flowers

A British newspaper reported earlier this month that a hospital in Gorleston, England, northeast of London, has banned flowers in most patients' rooms. The Norwich Evening News reported that the administrators at James Paget Hospital sent letters to local florists announcing the ban.

"When people are sick...receiving flowers can really brighten up their day," a florist from Glenda's Sprig of Heather in Gorleston told the newspaper.

Hospital representatives say the ban is due to space taken up by flowers.

"We are asking people not to bring in flowers because the wards are cramped for space and they add to clutter," Nick Covenay, director of nursing and patient services, told the paper. "The policy was introduced so the ward is easier to clean and manage and to keep things as minimal as possible for emergency situations."

Read about how one U.S. florist is growing its hospital business.

The newspaper asked its readers to send in their comments to: eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk.

--Mary Ann Barton 
mbarton@safnow.org

 
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20 Topics Headline Pest Management

Results from the Long Island trials to control Q-biotype whitefly infestations will be among the 20 topics discussed at SAF's 23rd Annual Conference on Pest and Disease Management for Ornamentals, Feb. 22 to 24, 2007, at the Portland Doubletree Lloyd Center in Portland, Ore.

This year's sessions are focused on innovations, new research and leading-edge techniques that growers need to know. Session topics include:

• Management tools to control disease in ornamentals

• Integrating biological control into pest management programs

• New and emerging viruses in ornamental crops

Conference attendees will have a chance to solve ongoing problems, prepare for new infestations and learn new pest management techniques from the nation's leading educators, researchers and other industry experts.

For more information and to register online contact SAF's Laura Weaver, CMP, at (800) 336-4743; lweaver@safnow.org.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Resolutions? We Want to Hear Them

Lose 10 pounds? That's so last year. E-Brief editors want to know what your New Year's resolutions are this year for your business. Adding new product lines? Reducing staffing? Keeping employees motivated? Send us your best ideas and we'll print them in our special year-end edition of E-Brief. And, if you made a business-related resolution last year, tell us what it was and how it turned out. (But don't tell us if you actually lost those 10 pounds. Just send the holiday cookies you won't be eating to us instead.)

E-mail your resolutions to mwestbrook@safnow.org. Please include your name, business name and location.

After the holidays, if you still need a little inspiration, check out "Resolve to Be More Profitable" by Kevin Murray, CPA, in the January issue of Floral Management magazine, arriving in your mailbox during the first week of January.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Talk on the Forums

One retailer member who posted on SAF's discussion forum is wondering whether it is normal that her floral designer's workspace is always messy. Two members responded that it is perfectly normal, and actually preferable; a messy workspace is a sign of productivity. Want to weigh in? Check out the discussion.

Also on the forum:
Contract holiday drivers
The Chrysal Academy

Start a discussion.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Product Spotlight: Valentine's Day Playbook

Christmas is upon us, and Valentine's Day will be here before you know it. Get prepared for the busiest time of the year with "SAF's Valentine's Day Playbook: A Retail Florists' Guide to a Winning Valentine's Day." This manual includes task lists, buying guides, delivery strategies, recruiting tips and much more. Order your Playbook (scroll down and click on How-to Marketing Kits).

Member price: 14.95
Non-member price: 24.95

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Media Coverage of Businesses

Fifty-seven percent of readers who responded to last week's e-poll say that their business has been featured in the local television media. About 43 percent say their business has not been featured.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Extra Hands for Holidays

Almost 60 percent of florists hired extra help for the holidays. The number of extra staff hired and the percent of shops was:

Source: January 2006 Online Zoomerang Survey. Based on 315 responses from retail florists with e-mail addresses--response rate of 13 percent.

--Ira Silvergleit
isilvergleit@safnow.org

 
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