“Let the Sunshine In” booming in the background might inspire a flower child who came of age in the 1960s to buy a sunflower bouquet. For those who were teenagers in the 1950s, it might be Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” that inspires them to buy a gardenia corsage. Fast-forward to teens of the 1990s, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers singing “Under the Bridge” could prompt them to buy a brightly dyed bouquet.

Alison McClelland conducted a survey that found music was a powerful way for supermarkets to sell flowers across generations.That’s the central lesson Alison McClelland drew from a survey of 150 consumers from a wide span of generations. “Supermarkets have five generations coming into their stores, and each generation grew up with its own music. That music can be a powerful tool to sell flowers,” she said in a July 6 phone interview, “after taking into account the demographics, location, and other factors as well.” Technology is also an attraction for younger generations, she added.

Ms. McClelland, a national sales representative for Sunshine Bouquet Co., unveiled her survey’s results in a panel discussion at the recent International Floriculture Expo in Miami Beach, FL.

Michael Hall, sales manager of Bay City Flowers, a panelist, pointed out that hydrangeas are a favorite for older generations as nostalgic items, but can be popular with younger consumers when presented in vases that look like ice cream cones.

Another panelist, Lauree Lincoln, a sales representative of Sunshine Bouquet, picked out bright bouquets in neon colors from a display onstage. She said appeal to younger customers and could be tied to children’s tunes; for example, those sung by the Muppets. Other panelists were Kevin Prill, floral category manager from the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. and Kristie Montez, business development manager at Decowraps.

Ms. McClelland suggested supermarkets play music linked to specific generations, name products after music (think “Yellow Submarine” for a bouquet of yellow roses) and have contests and promotions with music-inspired themes (an Elvis look-alike contest, for example, while “Blue Suede Shoes” rocks in the background).

Generational differences showed up in the survey. Of men who were teenagers during the 1950s, 100 percent surveyed said that they buy flowers 16 or more times a year today. Males who were teens in the 2000s, by contrast, said they buy floral five or fewer times a year. Almost 85 percent of respondents bought flowers mainly from supermarkets; florists were a distant second, farmers markets a close third.

The most popular cause of 17 listed was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Major floral holidays for respondents were Mother’s Day and, somewhat surprisingly, Thanksgiving, followed by Easter, Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and Christmas.

Ms. McClelland holds a degree in plant science and nursery management from the University of California-Davis and worked for Mount Eden Nursery, Cut Flower Exchange, Safeway and Bay City Flowers in California, among others, before joining Sunshine Bouquet. She lives in Murrieta, CA.

She drafted the 62-item survey and had friends and colleagues recruit acquaintances to complete it online between December 2011 and April 2012. The largest group of respondents were teens in the 1970s who are in their 50s now.

The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/s//dzz/zv73 or from Ms. McClelland at [email protected].