By now, every marketer should know the standard practices for Valentine’s Day advertising. You take the essential ingredients – red and white and pink color schemes, hearts of all shapes and sizes, and the word love in its many forms and translations.
Slap all three together, and you’ll achieve the bare minimum for success on the “Hallmark Holiday.” Between steep discounts by retailers on everything red and pink, all with lovey-dovey imagery, Valentine’s Day is a minefield of alienation. People in thriving relationships buy the staples – chocolates, cards, flowers, jewelry, etc. – and single people will likely keep scrolling past.
Facebook’s news feed loves a community talking to itself back and forth in the comments section. Likes and emoji actions now take precedence over the outside-sourced material. If you haven’t been planning for this day since June, Valentine’s Day advertising is likely useless. Your messages will get lost.
What happens if I don’t sell these “staples?”
The best way to enter Valentine’s Day advertising market without selling something directly related to hearts, hugs, and kisses is to let your customer base know you’re open for business and willing to help out in whatever way you can.
Except when we say open for business we don’t mean your physical location.
Everyone and their mother will be on social media this Valentine’s Day. It’s inevitable. So your business needs to be online, too. You need to make posts encouraging engagement. No, not that engagement, but it couldn’t hurt if you found a newly-engaged couple willing to brand themselves.
As a reminder, half of your target market probably doesn’t care about Valentine’s Day advertising because they’re single.
The world’s biggest spending day of the year is Single’s Day in China. November 11 has become a rallying cry for the country’s retailers to cater to those celebrating their individuality. Well, their ability to spend vast sums of money by themselves, at least. This anti-Valentine’s Day is similar to our Black Friday and Cyber Monday, only on amphetamines.
In a day of constant one-upmanship, it will be beneficial to act as a stabilizing force amid the chaos. Stay online, listen to your customers. Have them share their worst anniversary date or best present.
And on Thursday the 15th, go stock up on all that half-off candy.
