Flower Market Circular – 1 May 2020

Typically with Mother’s Day approaching, the MMA and Flowers Victoria would be working together to create a marketing campaign designed to get people to buy flowers for their mum. During the pandemic, we’ve still been working together, but this year we’ve created a broader campaign encouraging people to buy flowers for anyone in their life, not just mum.
With most of Australia confined to their house, the campaign’s theme is to say it with flowers, when you can’t be there in person.
A series of videos have been created, for Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, which tell a short story where a bunch of flowers are left on a front doorstep. The person inside opens the door and sees the flowers to their surprise and delight.
There are four different videos, each with their own taglines; you can check them out for yourself via the four links below:
– Smiles, delivered.
– Love, delivered.
– Thanks, delivered.
– Thoughts, delivered.
Radio advertisements have also been created as part of the campaign, and you will start hearing them on Nova FM from today, Friday 1 May, for the next week. You can listen to them via these links:
– Radio ad 1
– Radio ad 2

We encourage you to share this campaign across your own social media channels. Make sure you’re following the Melbourne Market and Flowers Victoria on Facebook and Instagram so you can share the content and we can flood social media with the message to buy flowers from your local florist.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the MMA has been considering how it can assist our Flower Market tenants and florists in getting through this crisis.
We have put significant resources into a Flower marketing campaign as detailed above, and we also believe one of the ways to assist the industry in navigating these tough times is by providing financial incentives to help your business.
For three months from 1 April 2020 – 30 June 2020:

• Licence fees have been waived for the quarter, and permanent Flower Market tenants will not be charged Licence fees on any stands or coolrooms during these three months (This does not include Licence fees for casual stands).
• For all Flower Market users, including both florists and tenants, there will be a fee-free period for truck, LCV and passenger vehicle parking during the three months.

This crisis is unprecedented, and we understand these are challenging times for many in the Flower Industry. The MMA will continue to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic going forward.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss further, please contact us on 9258 6100.

Many parts of the flower industry, have been feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic more than most. In this period of uncertainty, many businesses have been forced to adapt to survive.  Flowers Vasette is one such business who has pivoted to stay afloat in this strange new world.
Click here to read more about how founder and Managing Director, Cherrie Miriklis-Pavlou, is utilising the Melbourne Market to diversify her offering.

The Northern Health Foundation, who are responsible for fundraising for the Northern Hospital, launched the COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund to help staff provide the best possible care for COVID-19 patients in the North.
The fund is designed to accelerate and increase the Northern Hospital’s capacity to care for COVID-19 patients and provide support for front line staff at such a critical time.
The MMA was proud to support our local community by providing a donation towards the purchase of a high flow oxygen machine.
If you’d like to find out more about the fund and how you can help, visit www.nhfoundation.org.au/

Scientists have created stunning glowing flowers after editing the DNA of a plant and splicing it with glowing mushrooms.
The researchers found that it was possible to make the spliced tobacco plant glow with a “pleasant green aura that emanates from their living energy”. The scientists say that the discovery could be used to create glowing flower bouquets or other ornamental plants.
Click here to read more.

The City of Whittlesea is offering businesses that operate from the municipality free mentoring sessions delivered via phone or online.
Sessions can help by:

• filling in any knowledge gaps, and enhancing motivation
• guiding your business plan, and providing marketing guidance, and
• clarifying current Government support packages.

The mentors are skilled at working with businesses in crisis situations and can provide relevant information regarding particular business types.
To apply for a session contact the Economic Development team.
Service providers are Small Business Mentoring Service and Box Hill Business Enterprise Centre.

Throughout Europe and America, health experts are warning people to protect themselves by wearing face coverings at all times when out in public. As a result, some eye-raising DIY protective gear has been spotted in grocery stores everywhere.
If you’re up for something a little light-hearted, click here to check out 40 of the best face mask solutions from around the world. Who knew an onion could be so versatile?