Kentucky Passes Deceptive Phone Listings Law

Kentucky florists are waving victory flags in the wake of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's signing of a state law banning deceptive advertising. The law, which goes into effect July 15, makes it a civil violation for a business to misrepresent in print the location of the business as well as to create fictitious listings in phone books.

The process took only a few months, from when the bill was introduced in the House on Feb. 6 to the governor's signing on April 5. But it was two months of very intensive work on the part of more than 100 Kentucky florists, emphasizes Rod Bradshaw, of Gilliland Flower Shop in Stanford, Ky., and a past Kentucky Florists Association (KFA) president.

"It takes lots and lots of e-mails and calls to your legislators," Bradshaw says, "and after that, lots more -- you have to wear them out until they've heard your message."

Wear them out they did: Bradshaw says after it passed, one legislator said to him, "I'm glad this passed, I've been besieged by more florists than I knew existed."

Bradshaw jump-started the process in January, when he introduced a resolution to the general membership of the KFA to encourage the state's legislature to pass a law against deceptive floral advertising. That gave birth to a committee to organize the effort, which included Bradshaw, Franklin Briner of Nanz and Kraft in Louisville, Beth Sebastian, the governor's personal florist (who couldn't actually lobby, per state law); and KFA President Pam Gaddis and husband Mike of Lloyd's Florist in Louisville.

"We did a first draft, based on Pennsylvania's legislation," Bradshaw says, and his local legislator sponsored it. But Bradshaw says the bill really got its "teeth" when it was vetted through the state's Legislative Research Commission (LRC). "They added to it quite a bit . . . and made it a civil violation, so anyone can file a claim and, if you get a judgment, the attorney general is required to pursue collection," rather than putting the onus for collection on the courts which, according to Bradshaw, is a dead-end street in Kentucky. The law provides a penalty of $2,500 per violation and authorizes the Attorney General or the appropriate Commonwealth's attorney to prosecute violations.

Twenty-two states have passed legislation against deceptive phone listings -- although few if any have made it happen in such a short time frame, says SAF's senior director of government relations Jeanne Ramsay, who has guided various state groups in their efforts to pass legislation.

In addition to patience and perseverance, Bradshaw advises florists trying to push through similar legislation in their states to emphasize the public deception aspect of the issue, rather than their own pocketbooks. "Don't make it a loss of business or competition issue," when talking to legislators, Bradshaw says. "It's about the public getting ripped off. If their voters are getting ripped off, then they'll respond to that."

Get more information from SAF's Web site, www.safnow.org, on the issue of deceptive phone listings.

--Kate Penn
kpenn@safnow.org

 
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Growing Region Update

Colombian roses (particularly red), carnations, mini carnations and alstroemeria continue to be in short supply -- continued fall-out from pre-Valentine's Day freezes around key growing regions in Colombia, along with high demand in February, says Steve Catando, purchasing manager at Delaware Valley Wholesale Florist.

"There have been relative shortages on these items since Valentine's Day," he says.

In California, where growers also faced freezing temperatures in late winter and early spring, "they have recovered fairly well and most of the typical products are in average supply -- not heavy, not low," Catando says.

Heather Cross, secretary and treasurer of Amato Wholesale Florist in Denver, agrees. "I have not noticed shortages [coming out of California]," she says. "All the basic staples, we've got."

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Hortica Reps: Backup Tapes Lost, Not Stolen

Magnetic backup tapes that recently disappeared while en route to Hortica's Edwardsville, Ill., headquarters were likely misplaced rather than stolen, according to Peter Fornof, senior vice president of Hortica.

"Our best estimate is that [the shipment] is still someplace in the UPS system," Fornof says.

The backup tapes, which contain customer information that may include driver's license and social security numbers, were shipped from Hortica's secure offsite facility in Charlton, Mass.

UPS conducted three searches -- two through its database and one physically -- for the misplaced tapes, which were shipped in a locked case.  UPS representatives notified Hortica April 5 that "all internal recovery processes had been exhausted," and the shipment case could not be located.

For its part, Hortica is continuing its investigation of the incident and working with various law enforcement agencies to locate the shipping case; however, "UPS and law enforcement agencies have no evidence to indicate an unauthorized individual has possession of the tapes," said Robert McClellan, Hortica's president and CEO, in a company press release.  "It is important for customers to note that these tapes cannot be read without specific computer equipment and software."

"We have used [UPS] for 15 years and we had never a problem [like this]," says Fornof. Since the incident, Hortica has switched from common carriers to cut down on the interim warehousing of their shipments.
 
Although no unusual activity involving customer information has been reported by the company, affected persons who have questions for Hortica can call 1-800-851-7740 or e-mail securedata@hortica-insurance.com. Information about the locked shipping cases will also be posted on the company's Web site.

Hortica also recommends that individuals routinely check their credit reports and do the following:

• Remain vigilant by reviewing account statements and immediately reporting any suspicious activity.
  
• Place a fraud alert on credit files by calling: Experian -- 888-397-3742; Equifax -- 800-525-6285; or TransUnion -- 800-680-7289. More information regarding fraud alerts is available on www.AnnualCreditReport.com.
  
• Periodically check credit reports from each of the consumer reporting agencies listed above. Receive a free credit report by going to www.hortica-insurance.com and clicking on AnnualCreditReport.com.

For more information on identity theft, Hortica advises customers to visit the Federal Trade Commission Web site or call the FTC hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Flowers to Welcome Mothers at Disneyland

The Happiest Place on Earth will be an even happier place on Mother's Day, thanks to a new promotion between the Walt Disney Company and the Flowers For Kids Foundation.

An estimated 15,000 mothers are expected to receive fresh flowers when they visit Disneyland on Mother's Day, courtesy of the foundation, headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., and the theme park.
 
The concept of handing out flowers was a "no-brainer," says Terry Johnson, the executive director of the Flowers For Kids Foundation. Disneyland is such a huge part of Southern California culture, he says, "it would be strange if we didn't do it."  
 
Flowers For Kids Foundation has been working on the planning of the event for some time. "People are really responding very positively," says Johnson, adding that the total number of flowers given out could well exceed 15,000. "[The giveaway] will start around Mother's Day and go until we run out of flowers."
 
The flowers, which will feature the Flowers For Kids name on flower tags in order to raise awareness for the foundation, will be transported from Miami by Armellini Trucking to wholesale customers. The flowers will then be distributed to a contact person at Disney. 
 
The non-profit Flowers For Kids Foundation, which was started in early 2006, encourages the use of Flowers For Kids brand flowers for fundraising and other purposes. The group donates a portion of its revenue to schools for the children of flower workers in South America.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Member Wins MFA's Highest Honor

Jackie Burrell, AIFD

Jackie Burrell, AIFD, may have stumbled into the floral industry, but she's standing tall among her peers today. Burrell, who was featured in Floral Management magazine in the April 2005 issue, recently was awarded the Michigan Floral Association's highest honor: Michigan Certified Florist of the Year.

"I was surprised and shocked," says Burrell, who began working in a flower shop at the age of 19 when she was new in town and "needed a job." Today, she's the owner of Flowers From Sky's the Limit in Petoskey, Mich.

The association presented the honor to Burrell March 3 during its President's Recognition Banquet. Individuals eligible for the award are nominated by their peers and selected via a secret ballot vote by the Michigan Certified Florists committee under the guidance of the Michigan Floral Association Board of Directors. The decision is weighted heavily on "continuing education points" (which help determine a florist's level of involvement in the industry and his or her community) the nominees have accrued.

"People respect her talent and willingness to give back to the industry," says Rod Crittenden, executive vice president of MFA. "She always gives more and expects less."

For Burrell, the icing on an already sweet cake has been the unexpected recognition from customers that the award has generated.

"I got a note from a customer," she says. " I was shocked when I read it. I didn't know the community felt like that about me."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Harry and David Sells Jackson and Perkins

Harry and David Operations Corporation and its Jackson and Perkins Operations Subsidiary have agreed to sell the Jackson and Perkins business for $49 million to two unaffiliated buyers.

"The decision to divest Jackson and Perkins was made only after careful consideration of its strategic fit with our core gift and gourmet food business," Bill Williams, Harry and David Holdings president and CEO, said in a press release. "Having determined that it did not fit with our long-term goals, we are pleased that this divestiture will allow us to focus on our core business and further strengthen our financial position."

Founded in 1872, Jackson and Perkins, a well known brand, calls itself the "nation's largest marketer of premium rose plants." It harvests more than six million rose plants annually. According to Harry and  David, Jackson and  Perkins generated a net sales of about  $74 million in  the last 12 months.

Harry and David Holdings, headquartered in Medford, Ore. and owned by Wasserstein and Company, is a multi-channel specialty retailer and producer of branded gift-quality fruit and gourmet products and gifts (marketed under the Harry and David registered  brand).

The buyers are an investment group led by Donald and Glenda Hachenberger, who own several businesses in the horticultural industry, including Southern Sun, a technology company involved in plant propagation. Representatives were unavailable to comment on the transaction or the future of Jackson and Perkins at press time. Look for more coverage in upcoming issues of E-Brief and Floral Management magazine. For additional details from Harry and David, see the press release.  
 

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Good Old Days Good for Profits?

Looking for a new marketing angle? Try reminding customers of bygone eras through retro-themed bouquet specials. A walk down memory lane can mean positive publicity and new sales, according to the Cool Hunter Web site.

The Web site, which charts global marketing, fashion and home trends, recently featured a story on a new breed of ice cream trucks hitting the road in London.

"I was inspired when, recently, I bought my four-year-old daughter an ice cream, and the whole theatre of my childhood came flooding back," Adam Ellis, design director of brand agency Coley Porter Bell (CPB) and creator of the ultra hip Scoop ice cream company, told The Cool Hunter. "Wouldn't it be great to relive the excitement of getting butterflies when you heard that kitsch music playing from around the corner?"

Ellis' ice cream trucks breathe "life into the run down image of selling ice cream on the streets" by adding modern elements including funky chandeliers. Then there's the ice cream itself, which Cool Hunter describes as "boutique eating for the masses" with flavors such as Turkish Delight, organic champagne and traditional marmalade.

In the United States, nostalgia marketing already is prevalent -- car companies and jewelry stores use the approach frequently -- and it has potential for any business that sells an "emotional product" including flowers, says Christine M. Brown of Marketing Resources and Results in Hudson, Ohio.

"Nostalgia marketing is very strong; perhaps it's in opposition to the fast pace of the high technology movement," she says. "Who doesn't remember toys that they played with fondly?  Anything that has a warm memory surrounding it [including milestones like weddings and births] feeds into that nostalgia marketing."

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

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I am Woman, Don't Call me Mom

To reach out to mothers within your customer base, stop looking at them as moms and start thinking of them as women. That was the main finding from a research project by the Ms. & Mom Marketing practice at Draftfcb, a national marketing agency.

"Marketers are missing the mark -- big time -- in reaching today's moms," Gigi Carroll, vice president of Draftfcb, wrote in Hub magazine's March/April 2007 issue. "Only 20 percent [of women participating in the study] feel that advertising depicts moms accurately. And of even greater significance to marketers, 55 percent -- more than half -- agree they would react more positively if marketers spoke to them not just as a mom, but as a multidimensional woman. Let's reiterate -- not just a mom, but a woman."

According to Carroll, the study found that, among study particpants:

•  80 percent felt that advertising does not depict moms accurately.
•  34 percent are often offended by how mothers are portrayed in ads.
•  55 percent say they would react more positively to marketing and advertisements if they were spoken to as a multidimensional woman.

"Moms are not a narrow target," Carroll says; however, many "marketers talking to mythical moms who don't exist simply don't get it. Marketers who start embracing the woman inside the mom, and the embedded women inside of every woman, will find themselves rewarded. She will reward you. She will advocate for you. And she will be back."

Read the full story.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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Virtuous Consumers on the Rise

Do you donate flowers to your local high school? Sell locally grown or pesticide-free plants? If so, advertise your good deeds and affiliations: In today's market, "conspicuous virtue" is replacing "conspicuous consumption" as the tagline among many affluent shoppers.

"Many consumers are not seeking an outright demonstration of wealth" but rather to "demonstrate their innate goodness," according to the Wall Street Journal, as reported by Cool News. "A trip to the supermarket is instructive. For some time, everyday food has groaned with every sort of moral sentiment: all-natural, sustainable, cage-free, organic, organic, organic ... They are virtuous goods."

So-called virtuous consumers have distinct preferences, according to the story. They shop at boutique grocery stores, such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, and avoid discount clubs or mass merchants such as Wal-Mart. And, they're willing to pay more -- sometimes a lot more -- for products that fall in line with social causes, such as global warming.

Still, good intentions aside, the Journal points out that, in the end, deep-pocketed virtuous consumers may have more in common with the general affluent population than they'd like to admit: "[Virtuous consumption] offers to those with a guilty conscience a way to feel OK about consumerism. A fine scotch is vulgar. A 'fair trade' scotch is righteous..."  still expensive, but righteous.

--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org

 
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New Membership Certificates Coming for Some SAF Members

If your company is the official SAF member (as opposed to you individually), you'll be getting a new 2007 membership certificate to replace the one which arrived with the April issue of Dateline. The certificate should have had your company name on it, rather than your name. A correct certificate will be mailed to you in the next few weeks.

--Shelley Estersohn
sestersohn@safnow.org

 
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Promote Your Store During Professional Secretaries Week

Professional Secretaries Week is April 22-28. Need to do some last-minute promotions to attract PSW sales? Download SAF's Business-to-Business materials. The materials promote the findings of SAF's Impact of Flowers and Plants on Workplace Productivity Study, which proves flowers and plants in the workplace increase productivity and inspire better business ideas. SAF's downloadable and customizable B2B materials include: Fliers, in color and black-and-white; Consumer Press Releases; Professional photography; and Talking Points on the Study's findings.

--Jenny Stromann
jstromann@safnow.org

 
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Heads Up!

A special edition of Dateline is working its way through the mail to you and should arrive any day. The April issue answers the most frequently-asked questions we field. It's also a quick guide to the wealth of resources you have at your fingertips as a SAF member. So keep an eye on your mailbox!

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Talk on the Forums: Working with Event Planners

Anyone who does event work might be able to weigh in on a question posted on the Forum: When working with event planners, caterers, and other wedding professionals, is it standard practice to for them to charge florists a fee or certain percentage of the floral sales? If this is the case what is the general pricing range or fee that those types of companies might charge?

Also on the Forums:
Homecoming and prom

Artwork

Start your own discussion.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Most Customers Not Worried About Lillies

Ninety-one percent of readers responding to last week's e-poll said that customers had not asked them about the potential toxicity of lillies. Nine percent said that customers had asked them about it.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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Product Spotlight -- SAF's Flower & Plant Care: The 21st Century Approach

Do you need a brush-up on the best way to prep your product? Try SAF's Flower & Plant Care: The 21st Century Approach. It covers everything from feeding and hydrating, to temperature control, sanitation and much more. Use it to extend the vase life of your flowers and keep your customers happy. For more information, contact SAF member services at (800) 336-4743; memberinfo@safnow.org. Prices are subject to shipping and handling fees.

Member Prices
Care and Handling binder and CD-ROM: $54.95
Care and Handling CD-ROM: $39.95
Care and Handling binder (available in English and Spanish): $29.95

Non Member Prices
Care and Handling binder and CD-ROM: $79.95
Care and Handling CD-ROM: $59.95
Care and Handling binder (available in English and Spanish): $44.95

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 
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New Marketing to Promote Professional Secretaries Week

About ten percent of retail florist shops initiated new marketing
techniques to promote Professional Secretaries Week/Administrative
Professionals Week last year. Here is what they tried in 2006 for the
first time.

Source: SAF Online survey of retail florists with email addresses. Based
on 319 responses (response rate 8.5%).

--Ira Silvergleit
isilvergleit@safnow.org

 
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