Hidden Gems: Meet Christine Hockaday of Flowered Marketing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Hockaday.

Hi Christine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
For over 12 years, I’ve been obsessed with the intersection of culture, commerce, and community—helping unique brands move beyond product specs to create authentic customer experiences. My career took an unexpected turn when I had the opportunity to work with Cookies, a pioneer in the cannabis industry. At the time, I was studying for the GMAT and planning to pursue an MBA while working at a marketing agency. I’d always dreamed of creating larger events and having more of a blank canvas to work with, so I decided to take the leap.

I quickly learned that “scrappy” was an understatement. The cannabis industry meant throwing the traditional marketing rulebook out the window and finding entirely new ways to engage audiences. Every twist and turn required innovation. Because the industry was so disruptive, we could take huge creative risks and move much faster than I’d ever experienced—things that wouldn’t fly in traditional corporate spaces. I had the privilege of working alongside incredible people who helped scale the brand’s international footprint and mentored me throughout my career. I ended up staying five years, leading experiential marketing in one of the most complex, volatile, and highly regulated industries. I’d do it all over again instead of getting that MBA.

Since then, I’ve transitioned to focus more on tech and wellness brands, but I see my mission the same way: bridging the gap between product-obsessed and customer-obsessed marketing to tell stories of the unconventional.
All of these experiences taught me that you have to really understand your audience and the psychology of the customer journey to translate cultural shifts. Authenticity is non-negotiable if you want to connect with people in real life.
I started consulting and created Flowered Marketing to help brands who want to stand out in crowded markets. By weaving culture, community, and commerce together, I help them go beyond features to build brand stories that actually move people to action.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve never really fit neatly into one box, and this is true for many of the brands I work with too. I’ve discovered that my strength lies in taking calculated risks and finding unconventional solutions. I’ve been blessed to experience both corporate and scrappy marketing and I have had to navigate everything from corporate boardrooms to retail openings that look like music festivals. I’ve got my share of crazy stories but always having to pivot and sometimes completely reinvent approaches has made me a stronger marketer and person. Ironically, it was becoming a mother that helped sharpen my vision. Having my daughter forced me to be more intentional about the work I chose and the impact I wanted to make.

My career path has been anything but linear, but that’s what taught me to be resilient. The cannabis industry definitely presented unique challenges. Working in a space where traditional marketing channels were off-limits meant constantly innovating. Every campaign required creative workarounds, and compliance was a moving target. But those constraints actually became my superpower—I learned to spot opportunities where others see barriers. Early on, it took me a while to find my niche and passion. I was bouncing between different aspects of marketing without clear focus. The biggest struggle was learning to trust my instincts. In highly regulated or traditional corporate environments, there’s pressure to play it safe.

What I’m most proud of is helping companies shift from asking “What does our product do?” to “How does our product change lives?” That mindset shift is everything—it’s the difference between features and benefits, between marketing and storytelling, between transactions and relationships.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Flowered Marketing helps brands build marketing systems grounded in real customer behavior and business goals—focused, efficient, and measurable.

Every brand has a starting point—your story, your audience, your current market position. What matters most isn’t where you are today, but how ready you are to grow. That growth doesn’t come from specs alone, it comes from the impact your brand makes. Whether you need a focused session to gain clarity, a full audit to uncover hidden opportunities, or ongoing consulting to scale with confidence, my services are designed to meet you where you are and help you bloom where you’re planted.

We offer flexible project-based and retainer pricing. Engagements typically begin with a discovery call, followed by an audit or immediate campaign roadmap. Early wins are delivered within the first 2 weeks of kickoff.

How do you think about happiness?
What truly makes me happy is being able to travel the world with my husband and daughter. I’ve always been happiest wandering through a new faraway place, pretending to be a local. There’s something magical about getting lost in a Munich alleyway looking for Currywurst or stumbling upon a hidden café in Paris— those moments when you’re completely immersed in a culture that’s not your own, but somehow feels like home. I am so blessed and happy that I get to continue this journey with my own family.

My ultimate dream is to continue building a business that allows me to be a cultural translator—someone who can experience authentic moments around the world and share those stories in ways that help brands connect more deeply with their audiences. Because at the end of the day, the best marketing isn’t about selling products; it’s about sharing human experiences that transcend borders.

Pricing:

• 🌱 Strategy Sessions — Starting at $250
• 🌿 Comprehensive Brand & Retail Audits — Contact me!
• 🌳 Ongoing Consulting Retainers — Contact me!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://floweredmarketing.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinehockaday
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/99909726