With Lockdown 2.0 underway, bringing people some joy and a splash of colour has become a key marketing tool – and online flower delivery company Flying Flowers is making one of its most colourful bouquets available for just £1, in a limited-time move to encourage shoppers to send a smile to loved ones in need of a lift.
As increased restrictions encourage us to spend more time indoors, Flying Flowers has announced a limited number of ‘Cheerful Smile’ bouquets – usually priced at £24.99 – will be available from 9 November for just £1.
The brand hopes the bouquets will prove to be an affordable way for customers to put a smile on loved ones’ faces in these difficult times.
The move comes as Flying Flowers celebrates its relaunch, revealing a bold, colourful and uplifting new look and feel. The online flower delivery company has also been working with TV doctor and author, Dr Amir Khan, and colour psychology expert Karen Haller to encourage shoppers to embrace colour and nature to boost mental and physical wellbeing.
The duo say that bringing flowers and plants indoors can provide a range of health benefits, and that during the pandemic, nature can offer a welcome sanctuary – inviting people to stop and take in their surroundings.
The £1 bouquets will be on sale for five days during Flying Flowers’ ‘Send a Smile Week’ – with limited numbers available each day from Monday 9 to Friday 13 November. Daily drops will go live at 10am on the website. The brand is even covering the cost of delivery, so there really is no excuse not to treat someone to a floral boost.
Flying Flowers’ fresh new look is rolling out across branding from its social media channels to its packaging and website, where customers can browse a selection of colourful bouquets, including letterbox flowers and hand-tied designs.
Senior Brand Manager Erica Nicholson explains: “We know that our customers really value celebrating life’s little pleasures with their nearest and dearest, and helping them to do that with a bunch of beautiful blooms is what gets us out of bed in the morning.”
Founded over 30 years ago, Flying Flowers has delivered over 12 million bouquets. With a focus on value and simplicity, it offers fast, free UK delivery, a 7-day freshness guarantee, and promises that all flowers are sustainably sourced to reduce environmental impact.
Flying Flowers worked with creative agency MBA to develop the new branding, and is being supported in its digital comms by agency Smoking Gun, including social media, influencer marketing and PR.
Nicholson continues: “Flowers have long been known for their ability to put a smile on people’s faces and Send a Smile Week is our way of helping spread a little happiness as part of our relaunch. We recognise many people are having a tough time at the moment and checking in with your friends and family has never been more important. A little burst of colour and nature is just what the doctor ordered, and we’re happy to prescribe it with our £1 Cheerful Smile bouquet”.
Soft and fluffy
The move comes as UK brands have been identified as the most ‘soft and fluffy’ worldwide during the pandemic.
A new survey of global marketing, communication and brand directors has found that the pandemic has affected how brands communicate. Three in five UK directors said that they have seen a change in communications style, found research by language and behavioural science agency Schwa.
Sixty-one per cent in the UK said that they think brand comms have become more soft and fluffy, the highest rate in the world. This compares with less than half (46%) globally. At the other end of the scale, 28% in the UK think brands have become more formal (37% globally). And UK brands seem to be better at holding back on unwanted communications, with 22% in the UK saying companies are sending out more meaningless updates, compared to over a third globally (34%).
Meg Roberts, creative director at Schwa, says: “brands seem to be going to extremes in their comms. Some are retreating to ‘safe’, robotic corporate-speak. It often happens when companies need to talk about difficult topics. On the other end of the scale, lots of brands seem to have gone soft and fluffy – we’re here for you, difficult times and so on. They’re at least showing they want to be more human, but it means companies start to sound the same. “
Roberts adds: “As our research shows, many companies are sending out irrelevant updates – often emails and social posts – often just so that they’re seen to be doing something. But if they have nothing useful to say, it’s usually better to say nothing. It’s unlikely I need to hear from you if I ordered a pair of flip flops from you a year ago.”
