The Flowers & Plants Association ran a consumer-focused PR campaign for poinsettias for the fifth year running throughout 2008, featuring poinsettias on popular websites and national television as well as in the press and media and raising the profile of the plant as a Christmas essential.

The campaign showed poinsettias as the perfect partner to Christmas, matching a certain colour or style of the plant to personality types through a quiz on flowers.org.uk to assist consumers in choosing the right plant whether for themselves or for a gift.

Beginning as early as August to ensure long-lead magazines received the information in time for Christmas publication, the F&PA ran press adverts and website editorial to encourage consumers to purchase poinsettias for their homes or as gifts.

(Sales data showed a shift in poinsettia purchasing in 2008, with more consumers buying more plants in November than they did in 2007.)

As a result of the F&PA’s activity, poinsettias were shown on primetime BBC one programme the One Show and the Andrew Marr show; as well as on popular homes website Your Home, and in regional and national press including the Sunday Mirror.

Andrea Caldecourt, Chief Executive of the Flowers & Plants Association, will attend a workshop in Europe in January to finalise details of the 2009-10 poinsettia campaign.

Source: The Flowers & Plants Association