Hanami and a ‘Big Blooming Break’
A blog by Jaime Futers-Johnson, Communications and Marketing Lead, National Trust, on how a TAP INTO grant helped with nature connection research.
In 2020 the National Trust launched its Blossom campaign, celebrating the joy of nature’s spectacle during the global Covid pandemic at a time when people most needed a moment of joy. The campaign, which started as a hashtag #Blossomwatch, had huge traction and has continued to grow into a now multi-faceted programme, with last year’s marketing campaign engaging over 1 million people.
The beauty of Blossom as a programme is the focus on the benefit to people’s lives, connecting them to nature but also putting the charity’s aims at the fore; increasing awareness and relevance to wider audiences, particularly urban audiences where nature isn’t as prevalent.
Blossom bursting into life after the grey, dull winter in a city is quite a sight to behold, and something that brings huge joy to people, whether they’re wandering to work or picnicking in a park.
In Spring 2024 a team from INTO and the National Trust ventured to Japan on a research and partnership trip thanks to grants from TAP INTO and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
The aims of the trip were to experience Hanami celebrations to understand how to create a national culture of blossom appreciation, as well as meet with connections to help build future relationships and plans for the National Trust’s Blossom programme.
Blossom inspiration by day and night in Tokyo and Kyoto
Learning with TAP INTO
The team met with a variety of people and organisations and learnt a vast amount about life in Japan, the importance of Hanami and the season. Just under one year on, some of these learnings are already live after having helped shape this year’s plans.
One of the main takeaways was that it is very much a celebration that touches every aspect of people’s day-to-day lives. Celebrated visually everywhere, in every corner shop, megastore, train station and local park. Like Christmas in the UK, it overtakes most retail and restaurants once a year, helping to embed it in people’s lives as well as supporting the economy. The partnerships and brand takeovers felt authentic and celebratory, which has informed our own future partnership scoping.
A time of renewal
But it’s also about time together, taking a pause, appreciating the joy nature offers and soaking it up for your own wellbeing. The fact that the Japanese annual calendar focuses around the season and it being seen as a time of renewal for people and their lives, being immersed in this and witnessing first-hand was invaluable for the team.
The Big Blooming Break
The 2025 National Trust programme has taken much from these learnings and this year launched The Big Blooming Break, asking the nation to take a moment and inviting them to pause, connecting to nature in a way meaningful to them.
We are working on a longer-term strategy building towards Blossom becoming a bigger cultural moment that benefits people’s wellbeing, and this year’s activity is a big step forward towards that thanks to the insight gathered from the research trip.
This year’s Blossom programme includes one of the largest marketing campaigns of the charity’s year, with over 128 National Trust properties and places taking part and over 15 city activities across the UK (the biggest year yet) with over 3000 events and activities to take part in and 259 partners supporting where people live, bringing the programme into everyday lives.
Bolder Blossom!
The creative was inspired by the trip to be bolder, giving the essence of blossom and by really putting people at the heart of the messaging, by highlighting the joy and mood-boosting benefits.
Blossom here isn’t the cultural moment it is in Japan but from a recent YouGov poll taken by the charity said that the majority of UK adults - 94% - feel happy when seeing blossom in bloom on trees or in hedgerows and only 10% take a break from work, which has given greater depth to the meaning behind the programme.
The National Trust has recently launched its new strategy, which is a bold new approach with the aim of providing ways for people and nature to thrive in a modern world.
One of the goals of the new strategy is to inspire millions to care, and that care starts with something that creates a spark, a connection, a sense that nature and culture is for everyone. And worth standing up for.
Blossom is a spark, and one that is going to continue to bloom in coming years.
