Flowers for men

A young man gets off a train car of the Railways. He is not dressed up, but the intention to achieve a good appearance is noticeable. On his left arm, he carries a bouquet of roses, upside down. He holds it with theatrical nonchalance, as if the flowers were accidental. It is as if he were somewhat ashamed to walk around with that bounty of flowers. He is uncomfortable. It is inferred that he has to give them away, but until he delivers them, it seems he is also carrying an added dose of vulnerability that he tries to hide.

An 88% of men have never received a bouquet of flowers. The figure may seem surprising, but from a commercial logic point of view, it mainly reveals a market gap that needs to be exploited. Therefore, this very high percentage has served as an impact to launch an advertising campaign to encourage the purchase of flowers for men. The initiative comes from the Parisian florist Les Filles d’à Côté, a shop in the 11tharrondissement, near Le Marais, which seems straight out of a romantic comedy. The prestigious agency McCann has been responsible for the design of the advertisements. The slogan Flowers for men emphatically underlines this desire to broaden the customer base by breaking the stereotype that bouquets are for an essentially female audience. Complementing the figure of 88% of men who have never received flowers, the posters include a "Surprise them" that almost turns the idea into a provocation to leave the more traditional male sector stunned. The campaign shows very beautiful photographs of simple contemporary still lifes in elegant domestic settings. The environment of a kitchen, a living room or a bedroom is hinted at. The center of the image is reserved for some beautiful bouquets, but with the singularity of the recipient holding them. For lack of a conventional vase, unusual alternatives have been used: a plastic bottle cut in half, a cardboard cup from an instant noodle soup, a glass jar of pickled gherkins, or a pot of creatine powder used to increase muscle energy in physical exercise. Recipients that cliché and marketing could associate with male consumption, and which would indicate a lack of traditional vases in that home. A stereotype is used to break another. "When men proudly display their flowers, the vase doesn't matter: as it is, resolutely and stylishly," says the florist's Instagram account. In the images, they show the majestic black vans parading the posters in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

The 88% figure is not backed by any study that certifies it. It can be considered a more advertising figure than a rigorous one. It works as an emotional trigger and can seem plausible. It fits with a certain shared social experience. It tries to awaken awareness of inequality. They want to encourage the gift of flowers as a sign of daily affection, to express emotions or remember dates. And it claims that men should not be left out, breaking cultural codes and outdated inertia about masculinity. The "Surprise them" in the ad is not entirely wrong. But when it comes to playing with devastating statistics, perhaps they could have found a more groundbreaking and radical message: "Don't wait until it's too late. There are men who receive their first flowers on the day of their funeral".