Jaclyn Fiola’s “Let Happiness Bloom” video was the grand prize winner for the first #FlowerLoveVideoContest.
It’s back! On Monday, Oct. 1, the Floral Marketing Research Fund and American Floral Endowment launched the second annual #FlowerLoveVideoContest. The contest, which offers a $4,000 grand prize, aims to inspire creative videos from anyone and everyone who loves flowers, and promotes the use and giving of fresh flowers.
“Flowers are the perfect pick me up or everyday gift,” said Debi Chedester, executive director of the American Floral Endowment. “We need to market them in that way.”
To enter, visit contest.fmrf.org or upload your video with the hashtag #FlowerLoveVideoContest on Twitter and Instagram.
Submissions should be 30- to 60-second videos and may include skits, animation, surprise moments, musicals, testimonials, as long as they feature and promote fresh flowers and adhere to the rules and regulations, which are spelled out on the contest webpage.
“Last year, we received more than a dozen entries that were disqualified because they were too long, had branding in them or used music that wasn’t properly licensed,” Chedester said.
The 53 submissions that met the criteria really wowed judges and Votigo, the company that hosted the contest, Chedester said. “They were super impressed with the quality and creativity,” she said. “And they do a lot of these contests!”
Chedester added that videos needn’t be elaborate. “A cellphone camera will do the trick,” she said. “Florists should just have fun with this contest. We have a beautiful product, which sparks emotions of all kinds. Capture these emotions and share.”
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, December 2. A selection committee will choose 10 finalists, then public voting will run from Wednesday, December 12 through Monday, January 7. In addition to the $4,000 grand prize, the contest will award two honorable mention winners $500 each.
The winners and the entire video gallery will be published online as part of a new video library after the contest ends. They will also be used as a part of AFE’s Flower Marketing Monday program. Each week, one of the videos will be shared on social media and made available for floral industry members to download, personalize and use on their social media or web pages to help promote flowers.
Katie Hendrick Vincent is the senior contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
