"We've demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we are doing works," said Anthony Vollering, FPO co-Chairman of Sunshine Floral in Carpinteria, CA. "Consumer research continues to show that the "Flowers. Alive with Possibilities."^TM message convinces people buy flowers more often. One challenge remains: how to grow the campaign nationwide." The campaign strategy is predicated on the fact that consumers are very familiar with and like flowers, but need to be provided with new usage ideas and frequently reminded to buy them.

Marketing research indicates that high development costs and the lack of professional creative materials are primary barriers to sustained promotional campaigns in local markets. The FPO has effectively abolished these barriers. They have used marketing research to identify a unique integrated marketing approach, have created all of the supporting advertising and point-of-purchase materials and validated that this approach effectively increases flower sales. To date the FPO has invested more than one million dollars developing these state-of-the-art materials to promote cut flowers to consumers and additional materials will be developed to satisfy evolving retailer needs. The billboards, shopping carts, radio ads and television commercials that are part of the FPO's expansive advertising arsenal can also be customized to help promote local market associations, allieds and coalitions.

In addition, the FPO has created a range of in-store point-of-purchase materials that bring the "Flowers. Alive with Possibilities."^TM campaign to life and reinforce the advertising investment. The posters, bucket cards, window banners and floor stands allow retailers to capture the impulse purchaser. There are also consumer pamphlets that provide a wide range of ways to use flowers as home dÅcor solutions to brighten up virtually any room of the house.

"We know first hand that customizing the FPO's point of purchase and advertising materials significantly increased our members' cut flower sales," said Renee Carpenter, past Advertising Chairperson of the Allied Florists of Houston. "Using the FPO-supplied graphics customized to our needs, we invested in billboards throughout our market area, and had consumers rave about Houston floral retailers' unique advertising campaign." The FPO consumer message was delivered with the Houston Allied getting the credit from the consumer, a win-win for everyone. Ownership of a cutting edge campaign, increased floral sales and pioneering into a whole new marketing territory are just a few compelling reasons to tap into the campaign.

The FPO has already invested in the development of all of the materials necessary to successfully deliver the "Possibilities." message to the consumer. By empowering local market groups to use our campaign elements, all dollars they invest in promotion can now be spent directly on the message delivery vehicles such as radio and billboards, not diluted by development costs. "We'll use the existing markets (Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, San Diego and recently-added Minneapolis/St. Paul) to evaluate new advertising concepts and media mixes, which will help us better serve new, expanded markets. Supporting and delivering our "Possibilities." message through local market groups is the fastest, most efficient way to reach a broader audience, with the local market wholesalers and retailers reaping the benefits of increased sales," said Eugenia Barth, FPO Board member with Dole Fresh Flowers in Miami, FL.