Heather Jellett of Lilys Floral Design in Tredegar refl ected a lot of peoples’ opinion “Funeral fl owers are very individual and are meant as a way of communicating love from family and friends to the departed. It should NEVER be commercialised or sensationalised. Who would want to discuss the fi nal fl owers for a loved one in the surroundings of a supermarket?” Asked if anyone had tried a
funeral window display and the majority thought it was far too tasteless to even consider and that consumers wouldn’t like it. Then we had some, like Leanne
Upton from Flowers with Flair in Ampthill who told us “I did it in my old shop but the response was mixed. The older generation didn’t like it as they felt it was making them think of their own death but the younger ones thought it was good and creative.” Other respondents were OK
with a memorial type display like Julia Barwick of Showcase Flowers in Market Harborough who has a side window which always display memorials and grave pots with silk arrangements in them. An idea echoed by Hollie from Fleur Couture Floral who said; “I rent half my window to a friend who does memorials and within it I display good quality silk designs with a little sign to explain what we can off er as a way of reminding people that we do funerals! Some people are a little funny about the gravestones and see it as morbid. My view is that the funeral home does it so why
not us when it’s a huge part of what we do!” Rob Wallace of Riscafl ora,
made the valid point that actually doing a funeral window would be very expensive because you would have to cut down so many stems but was totally in agreement that any work made up and ready to go should be on display in the shop. Others, like Jake Nicholson-Lailey who owns Abundifl ora in Glastonbury liked the idea but had a bit of a weather problem as he explained, “I think Easter is a good time for a funeral window. It’s fi tting. I would like to produce a funeral window but we are in direct sunlight and other than plants, not many fl owers make it to the window.” Kerry O’Brien of Penn Hill
Flowers in Poole also thought there are appropriate times when it is totally acceptable to show funeral work. “I did a tribute window when the Red Arrow pilot died in our town. I did a heart in carnations and a based RAF target. I got lots of lovely compliments, everyone said how lovely the window was and I got a couple of bookings. I think that at Easter, Remembrance Day and on occasions when famous people pass, it is a great way to honour them and promote our funeral work at the same time.” And then there was the
idea from Tina Byram at Fresh Manchester who is doing it in a slightly diff erent way but still via the window “We’ve just started a slideshow on a screen in the window and it includes funeral
designs in the rolling loop. We haven’t had any comments yet, it usually takes three weeks minimum before it sinks in, but I think it is important to have included it.” But could it be that the
reticence is a very English thing because two of our overseas readers were totally in favour of a funeral window. From Belgium Baudouin Roelants told us; “I think it is perfectly possible to do/make a window display to “promote” or show funeral work without using crosses or worse coffi ns. After all, it IS part of life and at some point we are all confronted with it.” The Fresh Flower Company in Auckland, New Zealand wrote “I don’t see a problem with displaying funeral work, you are showing customers what you can do and hopefully how much better than the supermarkets!”
Our view: We totally agree
that word of mouth is a hugely valuable promotional tool but we also reckon a funeral/tribute based window is perfectly possible and acceptable as long as it is tasteful and done at the right time of year. The fact is that the majority of consumers have no idea about funerals... never mind fl owers and, as the lady in the Co-op Vox Pop said, it is helpful to have it out in the open. Given funeral planning is now
very prevalent and people are far more open about what they want and expect at their fi nal hour, whilst no one likes to be reminded of their mortality, being
62
F&wb Autumn/Winter 2013
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84