Hands On – Tips, Trends and Tactics for the Savvy Retailer
First Hand Account
Videos Build The Philly Shop's Star(dom)
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| WORK IT - Jennifer Kelly picked up an “Elvis” wig to transform her father, Patrick Kelly, into PSY, the South Korean pop star behind the surprise international hit “Gangnam Style,” for a YouTube video that’s gotten more than 5,400 views. |
When Jennifer Kelly sees that latest sensation on
morning TV or hears about a cause that needs support, she takes action… with a
video camera. Kelly, whose family owns Stein Your Florist, is one of the
masterminds behind an impressive and growing catalog of videos – some of them
poignant and other hold-your-sides funny – starring staff members from the
125-year-old business’ two shops in Philadelphia and Burlington, NJ.
In recent months, the prolific
florists-turned-filmmakers have produced an anti-bullying public service
announcement, a timely update about shop operations during Super Storm Sandy and
spot-on parodies of both the South Korean hit “Gangnam Style” and a Brad Pitt
commercial for Chanel No. 5. (You can see these videos, and many more, on the
shop’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/SteinYourFlorist.)
The
videos, Kelly said, help define Stein Your Florist as a local business with
personality, and keep the shop top-of-mind among customers year-round, rather
than just during the holidays. For the lighthearted “Gangnam Style” video,
Kelly’s father, Patrick, donned a black wig and danced alongside his designers,
sales staff and family members. The video was shot at Stein’s shops and at a
family member’s house over the course of a few days. And thanks to some savvy
thrift-store finds, the total cost, including costumes and flowers, was less
than $300. After a quick edit, Kelly posted the parody to YouTube, the shop’s
website and social media pages; she even created a “Gangnam Style” board on
Pinterest with hilarious behind-the-scenes pics.
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| PERFUME PARODY - Stein Your Florist was on the same comedic wavelengths as Saturday Night Live in October. Both the flower shop and the late night show created parodies of Chanel No. 5 commercials that feature a rugged and rambling Brad Pitt. |
At press time, “Oppa Stein Your
Florist Style” had racked up more than 5,400 views on YouTube, but that figure
isn’t the only return on investment that the shop is tracking. By jumping on
fast-moving topics of conversation, promoting causes that matter to their staff
and encouraging people to have a little fun, the Kelly family has created a
professional team that’s not only open to new ideas, but ready to act on them
quickly – before a trend moves from hot to ho-hum. And that environment,
Jennifer and Patrick Kelly said, is good for business.
“Keeping
our name in front of our customers and potential customers is key, and when we
can do that in a fun, different or innovative way, it really generates a great
positive buzz and helps us stand out,” Kelly said. “There aren’t too many
people these days who want another piece of junk in their mailbox from a
company attempting to hawk their wares, but they seem to love when we put on
some wacky costumes and dance like fools out on the street corner in front of
our stores for the camera.”
