Kate Fenton (one of our Partners) attended the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last week, marrying her love of horticulture and marketing. Once seen as a place for the older 'Garden-Fanatic' generation to "ooh" and "aah" over a new breed of Rose, it is now the hip place to be seen.
The show generally attracts a good turn out and reasonable press coverage, but it felt like this was ramped up in 2018. Perhaps it was the glorious weather, or that it was the Queen's first official engagement post Wedding. Or perhaps it was due to the number of influencers spotted. The hashtags attracted a fair bit of attention on Instragram too;
#rhschelsea - 36k posts
#rhschelseaflowershow - 12k posts
#chelseaflowershow - 104k posts
Brands are tapping into the incredibly instagrammable event and this year saw no fewer than four gin brands bringing their botanicals to life with garden partnerships. Once the domain of Pimms and Champagne, marketers are now seeing the worth in showcasing their brand at the RHS Chelsea. Kate was particularly impressed with the Seedlip Garden. The non-alcoholic spirit, was back for a second year, after their 'Gold' winning garden in 2017, and celebrated the humble pea - the essential ingredient in their alcohol free spirit. However, it was noted that other gardens (Warner & Edwards) failed to take full advantage of the consumer journey and Kate left without the opportunity to purchase or order on site. A missed opportunity perhaps!
The experience of the show tumbled out onto the streets of Chelsea too, with a plethora of shops taking part in the 10th Anniversary of 'Chelsea In Bloom'. My personal favourite was the Farrow and Ball window display painted by the fabulous Scottish designer, Bluebellgray.
So, is this a new dawn of Brand Experience? Are pop ups dead? Is the experience 'all about the 'gram'? If you'd like to talk to Multiply about Brand Experience, please get in touch.
To find out more about the show, you can check the highlights here.
