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Valentine\u2019s Day has typically been the retailer\u2019s saving grace \u2013 a shining light in the bleak period between New Year\u2019s and Easter. However, as the market has become saturated in the past few decades, with every company and their gran jumping on the Valentine\u2019s train (regardless of how unsexy their product or service might be), getting noticed has become an even greater challenge.<\/p>\n
Drowning in a sea of love, brands and retailers have had to, and will continue to have to, distinguish themselves from their competitors with marketing that is creative, unique and attention-grabbing. Avoiding the standard clich\u00e9s the public has grown weary of, they need to approach their marketing with fresh, creative eyes, spinning their story in a distinctive, exciting way that will get them noticed.<\/p>\n
Here are some things to bear in mind when marketing for Valentine\u2019s Day, and some examples from brands who have killed it in the past\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Trying to shoe-horn your band into the typically sexy, romantic narrative of Valentine\u2019s Day when it just doesn\u2019t belong there is a bad idea. While brands like Victoria\u2019s Secret<\/strong> and Hotel Chocolat<\/strong> basically market themselves on Valentine\u2019s Day, most brands are not going to fall in line with this \u2013 and nor should they try!<\/p>\n There is absolutely no use in trying to market your product or service as the \u2018classic\u2019 Valentine\u2019s gift, perfect for all, when it isn\u2019t. Know who your core audience is and speak to them.<\/p>\n A brilliant example of this is provided by Marmite<\/strong>. Love it or hate it, Marmite does not do mediums. No matter how you try and sell this guy, you\u2019re not going to convert the haters. Well aware, Marmite chose to take advantage of this, creating a campaign that appealed purely to their fans with a personalised label campaign, where you could order a jar for a friend or loved one with their name on it, alongside a little message. The worst present for a non-Marmite fan, a cute, thoughtful gift for the avid fan…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Valentine\u2019s Day is no longer only about targeting romantic, loved-up couples: in the last decade or so, it has become more about showing your love and appreciation for ALL your loved ones, including friends, families and pets. With over half of all UK consumers single<\/a>, and a quarter of these still planning to celebrate Valentine\u2019s Day in some way, the market has expanded hugely to accommodate companies that might not fit in the \u2018romantic\u2019 mould, as well as providing greater room for creativity and humour.<\/p>\n A growing trend the last few years has been \u2018Galentine\u2019s Day\u2019, a term coined in a Parks and Recreation episode where the 13th<\/sup> of February becomes a day to celebrate girl-friends. Last year Pinterest revealed that searches for ‘Galentine’s Day Ideas’ saw a massive 1780% year-on-year increase<\/a>!<\/p>\n Get a slice of the action and think outside the box, targeting those who might not typically be a core Valentine\u2019s audience with interesting and creative marketing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If John Lewis\u2019s<\/strong> annual Christmas ad has shown anything, it\u2019s that people love an emotional video that tugs at the heart strings. With so much scope to work with on Valentine\u2019s Day, creating a unique and appealing campaign that appeals to people\u2019s emotional sides and wins their hearts could be something to aim for.<\/p>\n An emotional video can work to make an impact for all sorts of briefs\u2026.<\/p>\n An everyday product that isn\u2019t exactly sexy to sell. E.g. stationary.<\/em><\/p>\n Canadian store, Take Note<\/strong>, wins with a tear-jerker tracking a relationship through the notes they write to one another.<\/p>\n [iframe src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/63ytBiQx3EU?rel=0″ width=”560″ height=”315″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Valentine\u2019s clich\u00e9 that everyone is flogging. E.g. greeting cards.<\/em><\/p>\n American Greetings<\/strong> pulls it off with their ad \u2018What It Means To Love\u2019, showing how people can use cards to say the things it\u2019s too difficult to say in the moment.<\/p>\n [iframe src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ b0qVZXR2uac?rel=0″ width=”560″ height=”315″]<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n UGC is a great way for brands to gains their consumers\u2019 trust as they see other people engaging and having fun with their product or service. It also helps build brand loyalty and raise awareness, so why wouldn\u2019t you try it?<\/p>\n Some past examples include PANDORA <\/strong>jewellery and The Body Shop<\/strong>\n\n
![\"Jar](\"\/wpe-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/02\/Marmite.png\")
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