NetFlorist Replaces Flowers with Cacti in Drought-Busting New Campaign
A campaign created by FCB Cape Town and Hellocomputer for NetFlorist, South Africa鈥檚 largest online florist and gifting company, came to the business鈥檚 rescue when sales dried up in 2018.
According to managing director, Ryan Bacher, the old adage 鈥楴othing says I love you quite like flowers鈥 just didn鈥檛 hold water when it came to sending them during Cape Town鈥檚 worst drought in 100 years.
鈥淐itizens were limited to just 50 litres a day as the dam levels fell. NetFlorist had to act fast because, as the Cape was drying up, so was business. FCB and Hellocomputer suggested that, instead of telling people to say it with flowers, we change stream and our business, and tell people to say it with a cactus,鈥 he explained.
鈥淎fter years of tradition people needed convincing though, so for every cactus sent, we donated R10 to the National Drought Relief Fund. Soon people were sending cacti to mark every sort of occasion from birthdays, to anniversaries to celebrate babies and new jobs. Sales spiked by 46%, our most successful promotion yet.鈥
The promotion was simple and to the point and comprised of an expansive digital and social media campaign. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud of this promotion鈥, said Mike Barnwell, chief creative officer of FCB Cape Town and Hellocomputer Cape Town. 鈥淣ot only was it a fun execution 鈥 in line with all NetFlorist鈥檚 marketing communication 鈥 it had a real impact on the company鈥檚 business and showed South Africans that they didn鈥檛 need to abandon a much-loved tradition when faced with adverse circumstances.
鈥淏est of all, together NetFlorist and its customers flooded the relief fund with monetary support and 鈥 just when the company was thinking of changing its name to NetCactus, it rained!鈥 Barnwell quipped.
