Companies big and small selling a variety of services and merchandise took aim in promotions at what they deemed to be their biggest Valentine’s Day competition: flowers.

“Valentine’s Season is here. Do better than flowers,” read the headline on emails and social media promotions from the financial tech company Klarna, attracting the attention of several SAF members.

The Society of American Florists responded to Klarna and five other businesses that promoted Valentine’s Day products and gifts by disparaging flowers. SAF requests that the businesses focus advertising on the benefits and key selling points of its products, rather than making unnecessary and unfair remarks about flowers.

Over the past few weeks SAF also reached out to:

• Popular stationery, photo, and gift retailer Shutterfly, which sent promotional text message that read, “Flowers? For Valentines? Groundbreaking. Let them feel the love this year with a unique gift instead!”
• Luxury Gift company, Ricordami, which used the headlines “Why get her flowers that will die in a week? Make it a memorable Valentine’s Day with our heart-warming Rose Bear” and “Beauty That Lasts Beyond a Season” on Facebook and Instagram to advertise their preserved rose offerings.
• Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, which sent email promotions with the headline “Forget the Flowers. Choose chocolate”
• Online retailer, 40 Boxes, which sent text messages to advertise their Valentine’s Day sale saying, “40 Boxes: Better than Roses…. Get 70% off our collection.”
• Air Plant City, which used the text “Valentine’s Day gifts don’t have to be flowers… Ditch the roses and get your special someone (or yourself) a little something to grow with” to promote buying air plants for the holiday.

If you choose to respond to negative advertising, follow these tips to write an effective email:

• Be objective, diplomatic, and reasonable. Explain that you believe in the effectiveness of advertisements that promote products based on their own merits. With articles, focus on correcting any inaccuracies.
• Don’t sound defensive — that will only make it seem as though the attack on flowers was justified.
• Don’t make unreasonable demands. Unless an article contains a factual error, don’t demand that it be retracted.
• Suggest a middle-ground approach that the story or ad could take in the future. Point out that instead of the phrase, “Don’t buy flowers,” the message could be, “In addition to flowers, add a gift of (insert company product) …”

If you spot a disparaging ad or article about flowers, please forward it to edaly@safnow.org.

Elizabeth Daly is the marketing and communications manager for the Society of American Florists.