Business Review I.
Company & Product History
II.
Product Evalutation
III.
Consumer Evaluation
IV.
Market Landscape
V.
Trends
VI.
Strengths
VII.
Opportunities
I. Company and Product History Flowerland is a professional local florist proudly serving Athens, Georgia and surrounding areas for 40 years. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you when you need flowers delivered locally or anywhere in the world. For your convenience, daily delivery service to local hospitals and funeral homes is also available. We specialize in traditional and contemporary floral design styles that are appropriate for all occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, get well, new baby, sympathy, holidays or just because. Our Mother, Norma L. Gecoma started up this flower shop and we have been carrying out her legacy ever since. She is always in our hearts, our work, and in our effort to make every customer happy.
II. Product Evaluation Flowerland is a classic and timeless family-owned business. First owned by Norma L. Gecoma, the business has been in the family for nearly 50 years. That being said, all of the bouquets that Flowerland produces are made in-house, by her daughters Deborah and Janice. Alongside them is Erika, another florist who works there. Flowerland makes bouquets for every event. From newborn celebrations to funeral arrangements, they do it all. In addition to their event bouquets, Flowerland is Athens’ hub for semi-formals, formals, high-school proms and date nights. They provide quality boutonnieres and corsages, catering to both males and females. In addition to their beautiful, quality bouquets, owners Janice and Deborah love to help support local businesses and companies. In doing so, their shop has a newborn corner filled
with tye-dyed onesies, locally made by an Athens native. Their iconic murals on both sides of the shop were made by local Athens artist Jamie Calkin and they sell his amazing prints in-store as well. Flowerland also sells original handmade pottery, made by UGA professor Fred Dolezal. Every product that Flowerland produces and carries stays on-brand with a consistent message: to provide Athens with handmade, locally sourced flowers and gifts.
III. Consumer Evaluation Flowerland has been firmly planted in the city of Athens, Georgia for decades. At approximately 127,000 residents, the town is bustling with all sorts of consumers. The median age is 27 years, which is significantly younger than the average Georgia city – due largely to the fact that over 35,000 Athenians are UGA students. From weddings and funerals to prom and holidays, Flowerland is likely to have entered the life of every Athens resident in some way over its 49 years of operation. Almost every patron that enters the shop is a familiar face to owners Deborah and Jan. They attribute this repeated business to the fact that “people know [them] and their place in Athens” since they’ve been serving “generation after generation” here. One of Jan’s favorite things about operating Flowerland is her ability to meet new people and “give them a good laugh,” with many customers stopping by simply to have conversation or comment on the monthly message out front. Because of their long-standing relationship with Trumps Catering in Athens, the florists have consistent customers in the wedding industry and even participate in a biannual show there. Additionally, they receive a significant amount of traffic from St. Mary’s and Piedmont Regional hospitals in Athens due to their convenient location on Prince Avenue.
IV. Market Landscape Petals On Prince Petals On Prince is a primary competitor in Athens with a standalone building close to downtown. It offers seasonal, holiday, and special occasion flower arrangements and balloons. They have a website, Facebook page, and Instagram, though their social media presence is sparing. The pricing ranges from $30-$100+ for their flower arrangements.
Pretty Flowers Pretty Flowers is a primary competitor with a brick and mortar in a strip mall close to the downtown area. They have an array of flower arrangements for different occasions, as well as, candy baskets. Their online presence consists of a website and a Facebook page with few updates. The pricing ranges from $40-$200+ for flower arrangements.
Frances’ Florist Frances’ Florist is a primary competitor that offers occasion flower arrangements, house plants, wreaths, décor, and a special section for bridal and wedding events. Their shop is a bit further out from the downtown area. They are active on their website and Facebook but have not used Instagram in a couple of years. The pricing ranges from $40$150+ for flower arrangements.
Flowers Inc. Retail Flowers Inc. Retail is a primary competitor that offers occasion flower arrangements, house plants, and décor. Their shop is further from downtown but in a walkable area. They are very active on their social media platforms; Facebook and Instagram, and their website. Their pricing ranges from $35-$80+ for flower arrangements.
Kroger Kroger Floral would be considered a secondary competitor. Their inventory is subjective depending on the location nearest to you, but you can order any of the products via their website. They offer occasion flower arrangements, dessert boxes, house plants, and gourmet gift boxes. Instore, they also offer smaller bouquets for cheaper prices. Their prices range from $5-$90+ for flower arrangements. Overview: All of the primary competitors’ pages boast how long they have been in the business and their family ties for floristry on their websites but not as much on their social media platforms. Many do not use their social media to the fullest extent to attract more customers or keep current customers updated on new items and trends. There are no statistics on their advertising spending or budget, but the use of social media platforms could act as advertisements. The targets for these shops vary depending on time of year and what is in season.
V. Trends Evaluation
1. Bold, Primary, Beautiful: The official pantone color palette for New York Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2020 has been released, and rich primary tones are in. Some of the identified colors include flame scarlet, saffron, classic blue, orange peel, mosaic blue, and grape compote. This trend toward the bright and bold offers implications not only for the types of colors that Flowerland should begin implementing into their arrangements, but also the palettes that should be considered when designing marketing materials in this season. Many Spring weddings will adhere to these trends in their bouquets, as well as prom and formal corsages.
2. Living with Nature: Today, one can complete all of their shopping online, spend time with their loved ones through the lens of a screen, and work on that side hustle
from their living room couch. As Americans continue to spend more and more time in their homes each year, the natural elements being brought into this atmosphere are also increasing. In order to break up the monotony of the home, and also bring an air of change, seasonal mini-bouquets are a go-to. Additionally, mini palms, orchids, and cacti have seen a rise in popularity due to their low maintenance and boho-chic style.
3. In the Air: A well-known tradition in Athens, especially towards the end of the year, is graduation photos. These graduates earn their right to take these pictures. However, one thing that has gotten increasingly worse over the years is the use of plastic, non-biodegradable confetti. Confetti is all fun and games, until it begins to pollute the beautiful landmarks of our Classic City. According to a source at the UGA Office of Sustainability, confetti has detriments that affect our campus. These detriments include the confetti potentially being carried into our storm-water system and getting into lawn mowers, therefore making leftover grass non-compostable. The UGA Office of Sustainability suggested alternative uses for confetti, one of those being flower petals. This graduation season, Flowerland should offer flower petals, in addition to leaves, that may be bought for a prop in photos. That way, their flowers are not only selling, but selling for a good cause - the environment.
4. With Yellow Flowers in Her Hair: A bride dreams of several things on her wedding day, one of them being effortless beauty. Flowers provide the mood of a wedding - they set the tone by matching to color themes, seasons, and the party’s overall personality. Something that really is starting to take off in weddings are floral crowns. Brides can carry a bouquet of flowers as tradition, but why not add a new flair to their wedding style with a crown? Personalized floral crowns make for a great photoshoot and can be customized to fit each and every theme. But that’s not all - crowns do not have to cater to only weddings. Floral crowns are perfect for music festivals, photoshoots, and more. Whether it be with fresh daisies, roses, peonies or more, floral crowns add a boho-chic touch to an ordinary look. They take away the necessity for intricate braids and curls, through adding naturalistic and effortless beauty vibes.
5. In the Air (revised for our target market): As every generation of consumers becomes more aware of their environmental impact, the floral industry should offer products that align well with eco-friendly lifestyles. A recent example of this comes in a small, but heartwarming format – confetti. Whether it’s graduation pictures or wedding ceremonies, confetti makes for a spectacular atmosphere; however, these pieces of paper and plastic are not biodegradable. A wonderful alternative to this is dried flower petals. Available in multiple colors and shapes, they have all the impact of synthetic confetti without the environmental cost. Oh, and they aren’t banned from UGA’s North Campus, like the plastic alternative.
VI. Strengths A. Longstanding history in Athens; shop opened in 1971 B. A charming brick & mortar location with an iconic mural; allows for an experience C. Prime location on Prince that is close to Piedmont Hospital D. Inviting atmosphere, friendly owners, animals, gift shop
VII. Opportunities A. Ability to make an impact with a rebrand among a crowded marketplace B. General “sameness” of the floral marketplace allows for Flowerland to immediately stand out with a campaign C. Growing popularity and number of Athens wedding venues to partner with D. Targeting college students with product variation like floral confetti
Marketing & Communication Direction I.
Communication Objectives
II.
Target Market
III.
Brand Essence Chart
IV.
Creative Brief
V.
Campaign Concept
VI.
Creative Direction
I. Communication Objectives
Objective •
For Flowerland to become a top of mind brand for Athens locals that have planted roots here (post-grad)
•
We want these people to integrate Flowerland into their regular purchasing habits
•
Grow their branding
Strategy •
Campaign around “Nothing Feels Like Flowers”
•
A World Without Flowers
•
Direct consumers to Flowerland through a multichannel campaign that aims to remind people of the importance and sentiment associated with giving / receiving flowers
Rationale - Why Flowerland? •
Flowerland is an Athens staple
•
REF Flowerland synopsis
II. Target Market Young, Unmarried Couple: Recently graduated from the University of Georgia, a young man and woman are spending some time living in Athens before moving to their big jobs in Atlanta. The couple loves to spend time in their small, two bedroom apartment with their precious pupper. They prefer staying in and entertaining their local friends instead of going to the bars downtown. Since they spent four years living that exciting lifestyle, they prefer to venture outside of the downtown Athens area for a more low-key environment. They frequent Prince Avenue a lot, whether it be shopping at the Daily Groceries Co-Op or sipping coffee at Hendershot’s. The young man and woman have lived in Athens for four years, so they love to support their city locals and shop in small businesses. Although her boyfriend will occasionally buy her flowers, she much prefers to buy flowers for herself. She loves to keep them in the apartment so that they give a more inviting, cozy feeling for their occasional company of friends and family.
Family with a 9-Year-Old Daughter: A simple story with a tale as old as time: boy meets girl in college, girl and boy fall in love, get married, have babies, etc. The young family decided to stay in their beloved college town, however, they now live in a small, welcoming home on South Lumpkin Street. The husband and wife own a small business in Athens as cooks, working at the restaurant and occasionally from home. They rotate days, bringing their nine year old daughter to Alps Road Elementary School and picking her up too. Their daughter loves to learn and is quite the social butterfly. Every night, she does her homework fast so that she can get to dance practice. With her holiday dance recital coming up, she tries to spend most of her free time practicing for perfection. When that recital comes around, the husband and wife will be there in the front row watching her perform. After their nine year old performs, the couple will show their pride for her by handing her a personalized bouquet of flowers, picked and designed by themselves at Flowerland.
III. Brand Essence Chart
How it Makes You Feel
Attributes
Fresh High Quality Made with Love Expertise Personalized Eco-Friendly
Gratuitous Kind
Happy Giving an Uplifting Gift
Reliability High Quality Beautiful Gift Creative
Benefits
Empathetic
Thoughtful Good Friend, Family Member Support Small Businesses Empathetic
What it Says About You
IV. Creative Brief What problem are we solving? Flowers have become forgettable products, and therefore Flowerland has a lack of brand awareness.
What is our objective? To make Flowerland a top of mind brand for consumers.
Who is our audience? Athens locals that have made a life here in town and seek to support local businesses.
What should our audience feel? The simple happiness that can be brought about by the gift of flowers. A world without these simple pleasures is off-putting and comically wrong. There is no physical, naturally occurring symbolic equivalent to show appreciation, love, gratitude, a desire to make an apology, or to bring someone joy in an unpretentious, socially appropriate, and affordable fashion.
What should our audience think? That a ballet recital at the Classic Center deserves a fresh bouquet of roses, that a hand-made wreath will make a historic house on Boulevard that much more beautiful, that a broken leg after a biking accident deserves some sunny daisies at Piedmont Regional. Nothing feels like flowers.
What should our promise to you and your audience? Integrate Flowerland into your audience’s regular purchasing pattern.
What specifics about the brand support this? Its longstanding history with Athens, inviting atmosphere, and an array of floral options.
What must we create? 3 full-color print pieces, 1 video storyboard, 3 integrated marketing pieces, 1 special event.
How will we measure success? KPIs including engagement with video, attendees at a special event, brand recall after the print campaign.
V. Campaign Concept The understanding of flowers as a living, tangible way to convey emotion is slowly falling victim to society’s cultural amnesia. We want our audience to feel just how much of a difference flowers have on those moments where words aren’t enough, by proposing the absurd idea of a world without flowers as a symbol. A wedding is thrown. At about the point you would expect the bride’s bouquet to be tossed toward the crowd of eager bachelors and bachelorettes, a Slim Jim floats from the newlywed’s hands and into yours. Confused, you dart your eyes to the party around you to see the same confusion in theirs. Nothing feels like flowers. The doorbell rings. Your first-ever prom date is on the other side of the door and he’s brought something special for you. The door creeks open and his smile, contagious as always, fills you with excitement. As suggested, you close your eyes in preparation to receive the gift he promised. Something crinkly but stiff fills your hand. You open your eyes and see he’s handed you a bundle of dry pasta wrapped in newspaper. Nothing feels like flowers. Thousands of scenarios like these just wouldn’t feel the same without flowers. In telling these stories, our audience will be reminded of the power of flowers in a memorable and humorous way.
VI. Creative Direction In terms of creative direction, we’ve carefully selected a set of colors, fonts, and images that will form the cohesive, consistent style of the Nothing Feels Like Flowers campaign. We will rely heavily on photographs that convey a story in which something other than flowers are used in scenarios that typically involve flowers. These photographs will maintain a solid array of colors yet emphasize a peaceful blue. The bottom of each ad, containing the campaign slogan “Nothing Feels Like Flowers” and Flowerland’s logo, will feature a white gradient that will draw the audience’s eye toward the logo and the font Big Caslon, which complements that of the Flowerland Logo.
Font: Big Caslon
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 12345678910
Campaign Execution I.
Print Pieces
II.
Video Storyboard
III.
Integrated Marketing Pieces
I. Print Pieces
II. Video Storyboard
III. Integrated Marketing Pieces
Instagram Post
Transit Ad
Newpaper Promo