1-800-Flowers.com will launch a holiday campaign on Monday that promotes its core product—flowers—and a partnership with Martha Stewart.
The campaign, via Working Class, New York, includes two 30- and 15-second spots. The first spot opens with 1-800-Flowers.com founder Jim McCann delivering a floral arrangement to Martha's doorstep. "Martha, it's Jim McCann," he says. She answers, "Come on in." Martha then tells McCann she has a present for him as well: A food and fruit basket. The ad, which builds on last year's TV spots, underscores the fact that consumers can get both Martha-designed bouquets and gift baskets from 1-800-Flowers.com.
The online florist also is running a separate commercial featuring McCann and his daughter, Erin. McCann, wearing a Santa hat, prepares a floral bouquet, but then his daughter takes a look and says, "Don't be a scrooge." She proceeds to add roses and other flowers to embellish the arrangement.
A value message is pitched in both ads. In the first ad, the concept is defined as "quality and trust," whereas the second ad focuses on what you get for the price, said Working Class creative director David Metcalf. "If you're ordering flowers to be sent halfway across the country and you never actually see them, trust is very important."
Steve Jarmon, vp, brand communications at 1-800-Flowers.com, said the ads will likely resonate well with consumers. "This year, more than ever, people are looking to connect with loved ones in different ways," and sending a floral arrangement as a holiday centerpiece is one way to do that, Jarmon said.
Last year's effort was more focused on ads for brands like The Popcorn Factory, which 1-800-Flowers.com also owns, as opposed to value. Jarmon said the company has significantly upped its ad spend since the economic downturn. 1-800-Flowers.com spent $44 million on U.S. advertising in 2007, and $22 million through September of this year, per TNS Media Intelligence.
