Interflora – Media Relations Christmas Campaign
21st August 2017
Background
Interflora is the market leader, and one of the UK’s most trusted brands, when it comes to flower delivery services. Established in the UK & Ireland in 1923, Interflora now has a network of over 1,500 florists across the UK and Ireland, extending to over 58,000 florists worldwide across 140 countries. But it’s not just about being the biggest – its heritage and experience, creativity, guaranteed quality and renowned service have earned the business its place as ‘the flower experts’.
Christmas, as one of the top 4 main gifting occasions during the year, is a key season for the brand and one which has to be managed flawlessly, from June right through to December. Eden has extensive experience of managing such crucial campaigns, understanding that long lead media must have all Christmas information by the end of July whilst a growing and diverse online media offering had to be introduced to all that Interflora had to offer readers and followers alike.
PR Objectives
Eden was tasked with delivering a hard working and effective media relations programme that would promote Interflora’s Christmas range, position the brand as the flower experts, especially for gifting and floral design and achieve its greatest seasonal impact yet.
Strategy and Plan
For the Interflora campaign to have greatest success Eden had to be ready to hit the ground running and take a highly proactive approach to media liaison.
Eden focused on a number of Hero products, providing well-packaged media information which could be placed straight into gift guides and features. Key themes linked to flowers in the home were identified and extended feature-style copy developed, ready for journalists to use.
By maintaining regular direct contact with our target journalists Eden was able to unearth new opportunities and avenues for exposure and coverage and ensure the team remained front of mind – often being the first port of call as a result.
Results
The campaign accounted for over a third of all Interflora’s UK press coverage from October to December 2016. 82 individual pieces of coverage were achieved in total, reaching an audience of over 20 million.
- Interflora products featured on the front cover of two Christmas magazines: The Christmas Magazine http://thechristmasmagazine.com/content/the-christmas-magazine-2016/ and Your Christmas. These publications are especially valuable because of their long shelf life, first appearing in October.
- Those products identified as Hero Products accounted for 34 pieces of coverage throughout the campaign.
- Interflora styling ideas were featured in influential lifestyle magazines including The English Home, Home Style and Style at Home.
- 24 pieces of coverage included a link to the Interflora website.
- 12% of all coverage appeared in national newspapers including Mirror Online, i, and Telegraph Online, contributing 13 million to the total reach over a four-week period in the run up to Christmas.
- Over one third of all coverage featured in regional publications including home & lifestyle magazines and newspapers, further broadening Interflora’s nationwide audience.
- Interflora was noted as a ‘where to buy Christmas flowers’ in 27 cuttings throughout the Christmas campaign. This, along with the high volumes of coverage achieved, has helped to highlight Interflora as one of the top retailers for Christmas floral gifts and decorations in the country.