DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Aug. 13, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified Inc. is delighted to honor FTD, a premier floral and gifting company, with the 2014 Women's Choice Award® seal. This award designation is based on a national survey of thousands of women across America asked to select the brands they would most highly recommend to family and friends.
"The Women's Choice Award program works to raise awareness among consumers about which brands are most recommended by women and to honor those brands," said Delia Passi, WomenCertified Inc. CEO and Founder. "By carrying the Women's Choice Award seal, companies like FTD signify their commitment to empower women to make smart buying choices."
"As one of the largest and most trusted online floral and gift retailers in the world, FTD is proud to be a leader in quality, innovation, artistry and dependability," said Rob Apatoff, FTD President and Chief Executive Officer. "Women have great influence when making product recommendations to friends and family, so we are honored to be recognized by women as the most recommended floral delivery brand."
According to a 2012 Fleishman Hillard Study, today's U.S. female consumer values the opinion of others and over half of all women consider one of their roles to be that of a broadcaster, responsible for helping others make smart choices. It is not surprising that major brands, like FTD, now focus on delivering a customer experience women will love. The Women's Choice Award has set the standard for helping women make smarter choices by identifying the brands most recommended and trusted by women, along with those that deliver a recommendation-worthy customer experience.
- 92% of Americans will seek out the recommendation of others before making a major decision (Nielsen Research 2012)
- 9 out of 10 women would 'definitely' trust a brand more if it carried the Women's Choice Award (Medelia Monitor 2013)
- Women are earning, spending, and influencing spending at a greater rate than ever before, accounting for $7 trillion in consumer and business spending in the U.S. (Steven Parker Jr., 2014)
Ms. Passi says it's important to note that the award doesn't just signify that FTD has women's favor – it signifies that women are willing to recommend it to others. "When a woman is willing to recommend a brand or service to others, it means that business has earned her loyalty. Those are the businesses we wish to recognize for their efforts and commitment to the No. 1 consumer – women," she says.
"The iconic FTD Mercury Man logo is the symbol for quality and professional floral delivery displayed in nearly 40,000 flower shops worldwide. We are privileged to continue FTD's long-standing tradition of trust and quality by receiving the Women's Choice Award for most recommended floral delivery service. It is a trust that we take very seriously," said Apatoff.
"We are pleased to salute FTD for their focus on excellence, a commitment that is recognized by women consumers nationwide," Passi says.
ABOUT FTD COMPANIES, INC. (Nasdaq:FTD)
FTD Companies, Inc. is a premier floral and gifting company. FTD provides floral, gift and related products and services to consumers, retail florists, and other retail locations primarily in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and the Republic of Ireland. The business uses the highly-recognized FTD® and Interflora® brands, both supported by the iconic Mercury Man logo that is displayed in tens of thousands of floral shops worldwide. Our portfolio of brands also includes Flying Flowers, Flowers Direct, and Drake Algar in the U.K.
ABOUT WOMEN'S CHOICE AWARD®
The Women's Choice Award sets the standard for helping women make smarter purchasing choices. The company and its awards identify the brands, products and services that are most recommended and trusted by women. Additionally, they recognize those that deliver a recommendation-worthy customer experience.
Awards are based on surveys of thousands of women, as well as research conducted in partnership with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Women are surveyed on what drives the consumer experience for women vs. men.
As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified Inc., home of the Women's Choice Award, created the first national award based on the ratings and preferences of women. The award provides women with a collective voice. Visit www.WomensChoiceAward.com to learn more.