Hate Valentines Day response

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bloomz

bloomz

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Nov 12, 2002
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I wrote
Please supply me with a list of your products so I can be sure I never
accidentally buy one.
Negative floral advertising with your bs contrived article?

Can't you positively promote your own product? Guess not.

---------------------------
their answer
Thank you for reaching out to me to voice your opinion of the Amarula Cream Liqueur "I Hate Valentine's Day" contest. It was not our intention to offend you or anyone else in the floral industry. Rather, we intended to take a light-hearted approach to the holiday and express our belief that people should love year round rather than one day a year. In fact, I regularly and will continue to send flowers to family and friends, including my grandparents 60th anniversary just last week. Flowers are only one way how I and thousands of others express our love throughout the year.

The information we included in our news release was from a survey conducted with consumers throughout this country. They voiced their opinion and we simply communicated the facts.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best,
Sean

Sean Wachsman
Amarula Cream Liqueur
 
In case anyone's wondering what Bloomz is talking about, it's in response to the Why I Hate Valentine's Day Contest being run by Brown-Forman.

Here's The letter I sent:
Dear Mr. Wachsman –

Would you please pass on the message to your ‘clever’ advertising agency that there are far better ways to promote the benefit of your products than disparaging flowers and traditional Valentine’s Day gifts? Someone also needs to give them a calculator because the last time I looked, 27% was ‘nearly one-quarter’ not ‘nearly one-third.’


Rather than headlining that “Americans believe Valentine's Day Is a Fake Holiday Engineered by Card Companies and Florists” why not educate your customers, share the rich cultural traditions of the holiday and tell buyers how Amarula Cream Liqueur’s, with its “A Rare Find” tagline, is a perfect choice for their treasured sweetheart?

As a professional florist, one who has purchased far more Jack Daniel’s and Korbel Champage over the years than I really care to admit, I will no longer be buying those products nor any others promoted by a company that chooses to use flowers in a negative light to sell their products.
Click to expand...

His 'we just report the facts' reply is B.S. Florists that don't find much humor in the campaign can direct their remarks to:

Brown-Forman
Sean Wachsman, 502-774-7643
[email protected]
 
Infinite said:
Mr. Wachsman,

I wanted to express my displeasure with your current "Why I Hate Valentine's Day" contest. Negative advertising appears petty to the consumer and does little to elevate the product being promoted. In this case, you have my assurance that I will discontinue all use of any products your company distributes. I do not want to support a company that feels they have to attack other industries in order to promote their own product.
Click to expand...
Sean Wachsman said:
Thank you for reaching out to me to voice your opinion of the Amarula Cream Liqueur "I Hate Valentine's Day" contest. It was not our intention to offend you or anyone else in the floral industry. Rather, we intended to take a light-hearted approach to the holiday and express our belief that people should love year round rather than one day a year. In fact, I regularly and will continue to send flowers to family and friends, including my grandparents 60th anniversary just last week. Flowers are only one way how I and thousands of others express our love throughout the year.

The information we included in our news release was from a survey conducted with consumers throughout this country. They voiced their opinion and we simply communicated the facts.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best,
Sean

Sean Wachsman
Amarula Cream Liqueur
Click to expand...

Note the similarity to the response to Bloomz
Infinite said:
Sean,

Thank you for the form letter response. I can see you are taking this very seriously.
Click to expand...
Sean Wachsman said:
Whether you believe it or not, I actually do. I actually take all complaints and concerns seriously no matter the subject. I have received several similar emails from members of the floral industry expressing the same feelings as you, while other members of your industry have chosen to enter the contest themselves.

As I said earlier, this was a light-hearted approach to Valentine's Day that was never intended to offend anyone.
Click to expand...


At least we got his attention :)

Ryan
 
Mikey the Flower Guy said:
I'm done with your products, and I know them all too well....
Guess it was just easier to say I HATE your stuff now too!
Mike
Click to expand...

I like that Mikey and hope I never again taste Jack Daniels. Yep I can say I hate booze. Anyone who wants it can have my share...

Them smartazz flavored poison dealers...
 
My response to the ad

Dear Mr. Wachman,

"we intended to take a light-hearted approach to the holiday and express our belief that people should love year round rather than one day a year"

.....Odd but as I read thru your whole contest not once did I take this as being " a light hearted approach" as you stated in your response to one of my Canadian Colleagues, but rather a bitter, poorly thought out advertising approach so negative in it's content that the cost to you in the long run will take sometime to recapture. Personally, I would suggest that you fire your advertising agency and try a fresher approach. This was not a "contest"....this was a simple negative desparate act on the part of your ad agency that obviously lacks creativity....are they unable to promote the benefit of your products any other way other than disparaging another industry? What does that "say" about your product?
How very sad...I shall no longer purchase your brands, carry my Hartman or offer to add a bottle of Korbel to my clients Valentine order.......and I feel a moral obligation to share your tactics with all of my fellow florists...that would be about 27,000 just in my immediate network.We love to share the good, the bad and the ugly....you can imagine what category your actions have fallen into...
Sherry Tannozzini
President
Flowers From The Rainflorist
Fort Lauderdale, Fl
 
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Reactions: 1 person
Perhaps it's time to take it above Sean. Perhaps a letter to Paul Varga and to Owsley Brown II might be better placed. In doing a bit of research Mr. Varga is the first President of Brown-Forman that is not a family member and was only appointed last August. Perhaps he would not want so many customers upset on his watch. The Chairman and CEO is Owsley Brown II. Below are addresses and phone/fax numbers

Brown-Forman Co.
Owsley Brown II
Chairman and CEO
850 Dixie Hwy.
Louisville, KY 40210
Phone: 502-585-1100
Fax: 502-774-7876


Brown-Forman Co.
Paul C. Varga
President
850 Dixie Hwy.
Louisville, KY 40210
Phone: 502-585-1100
Fax: 502-774-7876


Using the same format for email as Sean one could possibly assume Mr. Brown's email would be [email protected] and Mr. Varga [email protected]. No guarantee's of course, however, if one sends an email and it isn't returned it is likely it got to the intended recipient.

I shall try to address my concerns with both later on today.

Erlene
 
Erlene is correct...I called the Owlsey person , got his assistant and asked if that was the correct email for him...when asked why I would not send it to Mr. Wachsman I told them we as a gorup did not feel he really understood our concerns....ok folks, lets send them off to the listings that Erlene provided! Has anyone notified SAF, FTD OR TF? Maybe that would get their attention as well...does FD have anything to post regarding negative advertising prior to a holiday in the attempts to garner business for another industry...
Thanks....
Sher
 
Re: DWI at Brown Forman

[email protected]

Dear Mr Wachsman:

Suffice it to say that, the AD AGENCY you used during your recent negative marketing campaign contest regarding; " WHY I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY ", should be arrested for DWI. (DRIVING WHILE IGNORANT)

Our Florist has been in business since 1969, and our business acumen acquired over the past 37 long years suggests that, MEN are the worst procrastinators on the planet when it comes to ACTING ON THE NEEDS of their SWEETHEART, especially for Valentine's Day.

Facts be known, unless the MALE ANIMAL walks in HER DOOR with a ROMANTIC GIFT at the end of the day on February 14th, his world as he knew it, is subject to an extreme cold front, much worse that anything coming down from Canada.

Would THE MALE prefer to be released from that kind of pressure on Valentine's Day?

Absolutely! However, MEN DO NOT MAKE UP the RULES FOR THE WOMEN!

I've often described this anomaly as: "THE BOOK OF WOMEN and WIVES!"

In their rule book, which MEN are never allowed to have a copy of, nor borrow to read, each chapter is devoted to CERTAIN RULES which MEN are required to live by.

And, right in the forward of this book is their rule number one, which clearly indicates that, EVERY RULE IN THEIR BOOK IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE, and at, ANYTIME THE WOMAN WANTS IT TO!

Think of this as WOMAN SPEAK versus MAN SPEAK.

Two separate and distinct languages by SIMILAR, but DIFFERENT Human Beings, inhabiting the same planet, but living in TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS!

There are lots of things WEE ALL HATE TO DO! But by just saying it, that does not excuse nor exempt any of us from having TO DO IT!

Paying Taxes, Going to work, or Dying, just to name a few, ey?

Valentine's Day and Flowers go together like Valentine's Day Flowers and Amarula Cream Liqueur might go together.

Because every ROMANCE needs to be both BEAUTIFUL and SWEET!

And make no mistake that, from a woman's internal creative juices point of view, unless her man is willing to invest in A TICKET TO RIDE, he'll never be able to play in her JEWEL OF THE NILE game of romance, versus his quest for JUST HAVING SEX!

I didn't make THE RULES, but after being married for 36 years, I sure do know HOW TO PLAY THE GAME!
 
SAF contact

Sent a note to this young lady with some of the quotes and concerns over this contest..should be interesting to see if they respond....feel free to send yours along...

Jennifer Sparks
Director, Consumer Marketing.

Directs the planning and development of SAF's national consumer marketing programs, oversees the negative publicity response and crisis communications programs, and serves as staff liason to SAF's Consumer Marketing Committee. Jennifer has been with SAF since 1991. She has more than twelve years of marketing experience including working at a large New England PR agency. She holds a BS from Radford University in Radford, Va., and a MS in PR/Corporate Communications from Boston University.

E-mail: [email protected]
 
Jennifer does a great job...and whether you believe in SAF or not, we all owe her a big Thank You for her efforts...

Knowing SAF reads here, hopefully they will get the message of the BIG Picture some day soon....

Mary..are you listening?
 
The "sincere" Response From Wachman....

Sherry:

I believe you are referring to my response to your colleague Mr. Freeman. As I told him and several of your other colleagues, it was never our intention to offend you or anyone else in the floral industry. We've actually had some of your colleagues enter the contest.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best
Sean

Sean Wachsman
Amarula Cream Liqueur



What a pukeball......Hope his two big bosses climb up his boxers today....
 
and OUR "gentle" answer??.....

Mikey the Flower Guy said:
why don't you use the tag line " get her drunk, get it over with, see what you have left in the morning??"
ROSES and FLOWERS LAST LONGER
I'm done with your products, and I know them all too well....
Guess it was just easier to say I HATE your stuff now too!
Mike
Holden's Florists (Dundas) Inc.
www.holdensflorists.com
www.dundasflorists.com
www.hamiltonflorists.com
www.realflorists.com
www.floristdetective.com
We're REAL FLORISTS...we DON'T hide!!
Click to expand...

Mike:

Thank you for reaching out to me to voice your opinion of the Amarula Cream Liqueur "I Hate Valentine's Day" contest. As I've told several of your other colleagues, it was not our intention to offend you or anyone else in the floral industry. Rather, we intended to take a light-hearted approach to the holiday and express our belief that people should love year round rather than one day a year. We've actually had some of your colleagues enter the contest.

Flowers are only one way how I and thousands of others express our love throughout the year. The information we included in our news release was from a survey conducted with consumers throughout this country. They voiced their opinion and we simply communicated the facts.

It is unfortunate that you used such impolite language in your email, unlike many of your other industry colleagues who have voiced their displeasure in a more respectful manner.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best,
Sean

Sean Wachsman
Amarula Cream Liqueur
 
Re: Toto's writing ability

Toto, you have outdone youself. What a piece of work....you have certainly mastered this artform. If that doesn't get their attention....nothing will.

Actually, it was a treat to read your response and entertaining. This is an important thread and the industry does need to address this type of advertising.

Carol Bice
 
Response from Jennifer at SAF

Hi Sherry,



Thank you for forwarding the letter you sent and the response you received from Brown-Forman. SAF faxed the company’s VP of corporate communications a letter yesterday. We have not heard from the company, but we’ll let you know when we do.



Thank you again for contacting us! I hope you have a profitable Valentine’s Day!



Jenny
 
His response to me... my letter follows below.

V



Victoria:


Thank you for reaching out to me to voice your opinion of the Amarula Cream Liqueur "I Hate Valentine's Day" contest. As I've told several of your other colleagues, it was not our intention to denigrate your career choice or suggest that flowers were not a good choice to express your love throughout the year. Rather, we intended to take a light-hearted approach to the holiday and express our belief that people should love year round rather than one day a year. We've actually had some of your colleagues enter the contest.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best
Sean

Sean Wachsman
Amarula Cream Liqueur



01/25/2006 02:01 PM
To Sean Wachsman/BFBW/B-F@B-F
cc
Subject Why I hate Valentines Day Contest







Dear Mr. Wachsman:

It has come to my attention, that you and your company have chosen to denigrate my choice of career.

As a person who considers flowers an integral part of life, I'm am saddened by your choice of contest or campaign.

It seems to me, in this day and age, respecting someone who is working to better a life should be commended, not insulted.

Your products will no longer be a part of my life, in any gift giving or personal use capacity.

Regards:

Victoria
 
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