All about Flowers: James Vick's Nineteenth-Century Seed Company
- ISBN-10
- 0804041148
- ISBN-13
- 9780804041140
- Series
- All about Flowers
- Category
- Gardening
- Pages
- 204
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2021-04-30
- Publisher
- Ohio University Press
- Author
- Thomas J. Mickey
Description
A nineteenth-century entrepreneur’s bold, innovative marketing helped transform flower gardens into one of America’s favorite hobbies. “There is much that is hard and productive of sorrow in this sin-plagued world of ours; and, had we no flowers, I believe existence would be hard to be borne.” So states a customer’s 1881 letter—one of thousands James Vick regularly received. Vick’s business, selling flower seeds through the mail, wasn’t unique, but it was wildly successful because he understood better than his rivals how to engage customers’ emotions. He sold the love of flowers along with the flower seeds. Vick was genuinely passionate about floriculture, but he also pioneered what we now describe as integrated marketing. He spent a mind-boggling $100,000 per year on advertising (mostly to women, his target demographic); he courted newspaper editors for free publicity; his educational guides presaged today’s content marketing; he recruited social influencers to popularize neighborhood gardening clubs; and he developed a visually rich communication and branding strategy to build customer loyalty and inflect their purchasing needs with purchasing desire.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
All about Flowers: James Vick's Nineteenth-Century Seed Company
By Thomas J. MickeyAvid flower man James Vick ingrained a nationwide conviction that no home was complete without flowers and transformed the ordinary, nineteenth-century American mail-order seed business with an unprecedented marketing strategy.
-
The Book of Fresh Flowers: A Complete Guide to Selecting & Arranging
By Malcolm HillierA comprehensive guide to creating flower arrangements, with suggestions on how to grow and buy the best flowers, as well as the techniques of the professionals
-
On Flowers: Lessons from an Accidental Florist
By Amy MerrickMy sister once suggested we do a silent meditation together, three days of contemplative camping in the woods. she is an enchanting earth-mother sort and no stranger to experiences like these, while i am decidedly less meditative, ...
-
Flowers by Design: Creating Arrangements for Your Space
By Ingrid CarozziFrom florist and founder of Tin Can Studios Ingrid Carozzi, a guide to creating floral arrangements that will complement your unique style and taste Flowers are classic, timeless design elements that enliven your home and your life.
-
Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful
By Amy StewartAward-winning author Amy Stewart takes readers on an around-the-world, behind-the-scenes look at the flower industry and how it has sought—for better or worse—to achieve perfection.
-
Growing Flowers: Everything You Need to Know About Planting, Tending, Harvesting and Arranging Beautiful Blooms
By Niki IrvingRevel in flowering plants. This beautifully photographed book features simple, and engaging know-how enabling you to grow, harvest, and arrange a cutting garden of flowers.
-
The Names of All the Flowers: A Memoir
By Melissa ValentineRight before Junior’s twentieth birthday, the family is torn apart when he is murdered as a result of gun violence. The Names of All the Flowers connects one tragic death to a collective grief for all black people who die too young.
-
Decorating with Flowers: A Stunning Ideas Book for All Occasions
By Roberto Caballero, Elizabeth V. ReyesThe ten designers and artists showcased share the ideas and insights behind their floral arrangements--each of which is shown in detailed photos--making this an excellent guide for interior decorators, florists, event planners and ...
-
Elegance in Flowers: Classic Arrangements for All Seasons
By Vicki L. InghamFresh flowers bring a special pleasure unmatched by anything else. Descriptive text accompanies each photo explaining the construction of each design. Arrangements for special occasions are included.
-
Floret Farm's A Year in Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season
By Erin BenzakeinFeaturing expert advice from Erin Benzakein, world-renowned flower farmer, floral designer, and bestselling author of Floret Farm: Cut Flower Garden, this book is a gorgeous and comprehensive guide to everything you need to make your own ...