In early April, a team of ambassadors representing the Society of American Florists trekked through the Pacific Northwest in a vintage-style van — "The Flower Power Mobile" — offering unsuspecting people free flowers and tips to alleviate stress. Their journey from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon to Seattle spurred a flurry of news stories in the region's biggest media markets, as journalists clamored to cover not only the visually compelling vehicle and bouquet giveaways, but also the scientific research supporting flowers' stress-reducing powers.
"We are providing a solution that helps people cope with stress in little ways throughout the day," SAF's Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Sparks told Kara Mack, co-host of "Afternoon Live," a program with KATU, Portland, Oregon's ABC affiliate channel.
During the live broadcast, Sparks introduced April as Stress Awareness Month, highlighting the affliction's impact with statistics from Wakefield Research (68 percent of Americans report feeling stressed on a weekly basis; 32 percent endure it every day). "Pretty much everyone can relate to stress," she said.
Sparks then dove into results from the University of North Florida's recent research study, "The Impact of Flowers on Perceived Stress Among Women."
"It's that contact with nature so many of us crave," she said. "The really great thing about flowers is that they bring the beauty of nature indoors. Simply having them on your desk or nightstand can significantly improve your wellbeing."
KGW, Portland's NBC affiliate, sent two anchors to Pioneer Courthouse Square, a 40,000-square-foot block in the city's center, to help SAF distribute flowers on a cold and drizzly Friday.
Their commentary noted recipients' joyful and relaxed reactions when handed a bouquet. KOMO News 4, Seattle's ABC station, captured similar footage (minus the rain). "It totally works," anchor Molly Chen said of flower power.
The tour's start at the iconic corner of Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco, where Flower Power first began, also spurred media buzz.
Prior to embarking on the StressLess tour, SAF sent a press release to news organizations nationwide. SAF followed up with nationwide media blast after the San Francisco events with pictures and video footage to carry the flower power message far beyond the three cities visited during the tour. (SAF is still compiling results of the comprehensive public relations efforts and social media tactics.)
For news hooks, SAF referenced Stress Awareness Month, the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and rise of the Flower Power Movement, as well as a few examples of April's stress-inducing events, including Tax Day and colleges mailing acceptance and rejection letters. The release also included takeaways from the University of North Florida study.
While stress reduction is an evergreen topic, "Stress Awareness Month makes journalists especially receptive to covering the research results," Sparks said. "This is a great opportunity for SAF members to get some local publicity, which is essentially free advertising. Plus, any time your business appears in the press, it increases your credibility."
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