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Please direct individual enquiries about the history of Migros to the Historical Company Archives of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives.
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“Lead a more beautiful life!”
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Sale of carnations in the Migros branches (Familie M, 1949) 
Migros carnation advertisement (Wir Brückenbauer, 1956) 
Migros customer with a bunch of carnations beside Gottlieb Duttweiler (1947) 
Thank you poem from a Migros cooperative member (1947) 
Migros flowers in the Familie M’s home (Familie M, 1949)
The carnation campaign in 1947 marked the beginning of flower sales at Migros. Half a million of these inexpensive flowers were sold in the first two weeks alone – delighted customers sent Gottlieb Duttweiler letters and poems in gratitude.
In November 1947, Gottlieb Duttweiler spends several days on the Italian Riviera. Even on holiday he gets new business ideas. When he notices that the local florists have turnover problems, he spontaneously buys an entire rail wagon full of carnations. They are then sold in a widespread campaign in the Migros shops, 16 flowers for CHF1 – in florist shops, a single carnation costs up to 70 centimes.
The success is so great that customers are limited to one bunch each, and two weeks later, despite a considerable increase in price, Migros has sold half a million carnations. The Swiss florists are furious that Gottlieb Duttweiler has dared to enter this sector, and accuse him of destroying their business foundation and with it the Swiss middle class. He responds by saying that the only reason he decided to enter flower retail was his urge to be “retailers of the joy of life and warm-heartedness”.
In the two Migros promotional films from this time, Familie M and Familie M Junior, the answer to the opposition’s arguments is simply the customers’ pleasure. A Familie M shows how they decorate their home with carnations and other flowers from Migros. Once again, Gottlieb Duttweiler has allowed a wide sector of the population to buy what was previously an unaffordable luxury for them. Countless customers express their thanks in touching letters. One Migros cooperative member expresses her thanks to the Federation of Migros Cooperatives in the name of her “dear mother” for the “beautiful flowers and the pleasure that they have brought to so many patients”.
The ‘carnation campaign’ becomes legendary as it is Migros’ first foray into the flower business. Two decades later, Migros is the florist with the highest turnover in Switzerland and one of the largest in Europe.