Why Is Crayola Crayons Getting into Flower Biz?

By Jill Brooke

Crayola Crayons announced it is launching an online flower shop with a percentage of profits going to good causes.

Considering Caribbean green and cerise are popular crayon colors, luckily they also are found in nature.

It does sound very altruistic. However, let us not forget that Crayola is owned by Hallmark, the greeting card company. And like 1-800-Flowers, the company is trying to expand its brand and profit shares. Obviously, greeting cards and flowers are a good match, like strawberries and cream.

Furthermore, companies like Rosaprima and Alexandra Farms often link their roses to paint chips from Pantone or Sherwin-Williams. It’s all about connections.

Crayola Flowers is collaborating with Mrs. Blooms, an importer and distributor of flowers. The company also is a supporter of nonprofits and is rooted in fundraising as well.

“Our collaboration with Mrs. Bloom’s not only extends our brand into the flower industry but more importantly furthers our mission by supporting nonprofits and consumers who share our passion to make this world a better, brighter place,” says Warren Schorr, Crayola Senior Vice President Business Development, Global Licensing & Experiences.

“We’re not just sending beautiful, fresh bouquets, we’re also educating consumers about organizations whose work likely benefits someone they know and love, reinforcing the idea that kindness can flourish in even the simplest gestures,” says Ari Shapiro, partner and marketing director of Mrs. Bloom’s.

What is unique about this operation is that the way this is marketed encourages consumers attached to causes to have the ability to gather people like a bunch of blooms and access a Crayola system that creates an online flower shop. Of course, it brings the traffic. – and numbers – right back to Crayola. Nonprofits can create online storefronts for supporters to buy flowers, with 10% or more going to charity.

Social media, automated emails, your very own flower webshop – we’ve made sharing and promoting your fundraiser simple, declares the company.

If you’re with a nonprofit – create a custom webshop to raise money for your organization.

If you’re with a company – fundraise for your foundation or favorite charity.

If you’re a consumer – buy flowers and support a cause that’s meaningful to you.

People will be able to buy bouquets at prices ranging from $49 to $150. This is yet another example of how flowers and flower giving are rooting deeper into the culture since there are many online flower shops.  And as we all know, flower lovers, flowers can express so many emotions that words can not to soothe the soul and brighten anyone’s day. Now the Crayola crayon pictures of flowers that we made as kids can be Crayola Flowers.

At Grand Central in New York, the company will also have a sea of flowers as part of the marketing of the new store all day today.

 

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and a contributor to Florists Review magazine.

Photo Credit: Jamal Martin