|
star power
Flowers and Hollywood
have created a powerful collaboration. Take a look at some of the big
events Colombian flowers graced this year.
by Kelsey E. Smith
The stars, the sounds, the fashions—perhaps no experience is
quite like going to a movie, unless, of course, that movie is
part of a major Hollywood premiere event. The stars dress to the
nines, but the fashions go beyond designer gowns and jewels to
include stylish floral arrangements that bring their own star
power to the events.
setting the stage
Asocolflores (the Association of Colombian Flower
Exporters) has prompted much exposure for fresh Colombian
flowers via relationships with several major Hollywood film
studios including |
Heart-shaped wreaths covered in roses were incorporated into the
promotional décor for the premiere of Valentine’s Day. Collage
Floral Design and Events in Los Angeles created approximately 25
wreaths—each covered with about 15 dozen roses—for the
step-and-repeat banner of the red-carpet event.
Photo courtesy of Ethical Trade |
Summit Entertainment and
Warner Bros. Ernesto Vélez, who passed away last March and was
chairman of the association’s board of directors, initiated the
idea along with Richard Griffiths, country branding
advisor and director of Ethical Trade, based in Bogotá.
Following a trip to New York City for a promotion of Colombian
flowers in 2008, the two met with the president of Warner Bros.
to discuss building a relationship between Hollywood and
Colombian flowers as well as flowers in general.
“Ernesto believed in consumption as the key to
getting younger people to see the significance of flowers,” Mr.
Griffiths relates. “My task was to develop a program for
Colombian flowers and Hollywood. Historically, there are so many
films in which flowers became an integral part, and it’s nice to
remind consumers of these key moments and how flowers are
important in films.”
With the support of Asocolflores, Mr. Griffiths has
carried out this goal on several projects this year—most
notably, the premieres of Warner Bros. movies Valentine’s Day
and Sex and the City 2 and Summit Entertainment’s
Remember Me, starring Robert Pattinson of Twilight
movie fame. In addition, ‘Pink Intuition’ roses, from
Benchmark Growers/The Queen’s Flowers, were used for the
Academy Awards celebration of Kathryn Bigelow, who received the
Oscar for Best Director for her work on The Hurt Locker.
“The arrangement with the studios was simple,” Mr.
Griffiths says. “We would supply fresh Colombian roses for their
productions and premieres, and they would give flowers the
needed push for their marketing machine. Now we’re seeing
studios looking at how they can incorporate more flowers into
the scripts and requesting Colombian flowers, and a lot of other
flower groups are getting involved with the entertainment
industry as well.”
Jairo Cadavid, director of promotion and
communication for Asocolflores, believes having more flowers in
movies will increase consumption and lead to a heightened
awareness of flowers in consumers’ everyday lives.
“Conductive models that promote the film industry can
be an important way to encourage Americans to take home more
flowers,” Mr. Cadavid says. “If we get the writers to include in
their scripts scenes related to the purchase and proper
treatment [of flowers], the Colombian growers have taken a step
in the right direction.” He adds that the initiative includes not only a push
for Colombian flowers in U.S. movie releases but also
involvement with the Colombia Film Commission at fairs as well
as promotion of visits to Colombia by producers and script
writers. |
Vases of
‘Pink Intuition’ roses graced the Academy Awards celebration
thrown by actress Jodie Foster for Kathryn Bigelow, who was
named Best Director for her work on The Hurt Locker.
Eye-catching signage identified the rose variety and included
the logo of Benchmark Growers.
Photo courtesy of Ethical Trade
Grand arrangements of Colombian roses created elegant backdrops
for photos, including this one of leading lady Sarah Jessica
Parker, at the Sex and the City 2 premiere.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Celebrity guest Barbara Eden holds a ‘Pink Intuition’
rose upon arriving at
the premiere of Valentine’s Day.
Photo courtesy of Ethical Trade |
...
To read more look to the September 2010 issue of Florists' Review.
Contact Kelsey Smith at ksmith@floristsreview.com or (800) 367-4708.
•
Click here
to purchase the current issue of Florists' Review. |
|
