FCB Warsaw created a new flower brand – “flowers to Say Sorry”

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity, CSR

In 2016, when the new government took over, the Polish Ministry of Justice denied funding to all organizations helping abused women, arguing they were helping only women and discriminating men. The denying of NGO’s funding meant privatization of violence, isolation of victims and treating act of violence as a conflict to solve within walls of home.

To confront society and politicians with consequences of such decision, FCB Warsaw created a new flower brand – “flowers to Say Sorry” –  turning a harmful chauvinistic cliché’ into a symbol of tragic desperation of abused women in Poland.

The “I’m Sorry” flowers collection reflected the typical cycle of violence, where every flower was named after offences corresponding to different abuse – from verbal threats to killing the partner.

Just before International Women’s Day, when the men traditionally buy woman flowers, the “I’m Sorry” flower collection was introduced to flower shops across Poland to gather social support for the cause.  The “I’m Sorry” flowers were composed into bouquets telling true stories of battered women gathered by The Center of the Women Rights Foundation. On March 8, 2017, 460 “I’m Sorry I’m alive” bouquets were sent to each of 460 members of Parliament, asking to bring back the funding for Center for the Women’s Rights.

Media broadly supported the cause and bringing back the funds for The Center of the Woman became one of the main postulates of International Women’s Day Strike on March 8th. A week after The Members of Parliament presented an official interpellation to bring back the funding for the Center of the Women Rights.

FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is a global, fully integrated marketing communications company with a heritage of creativity and success dating from 1873. Based on a deeply developed understanding of diversified local markets and global cultures, FCB focuses on significantly changing consumer behavior to the benefit of its clients, its people and society. With more than 8,000 people in 109 operations in 80 countries, the company is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies.

Credits

  • Luis Dias, Chief Creative Officer
  • Gosia Drozdowska, Agnieszka Klimczak – Creative Director
  • Czesław Plawgo Senior Copywriter (Role on this entry: creative)
  • Wojtek Szpor Senior ArtDirector (Role on this entry: creative)
  • Emilia Blaszczak Account Director
  • Kasia Kowalczuk, Account Manager
  • Robert Wawszczyk, Agency Producer
  • Marta Paleczna, PR Marketing Communications Director