5 Heartwarming Valentine’s Day Marketing Campaigns

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and Hallmark isn’t the only company cashing in on the holiday. In fact, the usual Valentine’s Day staples set the average person back an average of a whopping $512.03, according to Bankrate’s research after putting together its first “Be My Valentine Index.” Wondering how it’s possible to spend this much? The five items and their average prices are: a box of chocolates ($15.11), diamond earrings ($323.26), a dozen roses ($41.66), dinner for two ($80.46) and a bottle of champagne ($51.54).

Marketers are looking to be a part of the holiday day as well, no matter how you celebrate. Here are a few notable Valentine’s Day campaigns that can serve as an idea for celebrating on Sunday or perhaps provide inspiration for a future marketing campaign:

1. Lyft – The car service has teamed up with one of their favorite restaurant delivery services,Caviar, to offer a “no-expectations Valentine’s Day”. Those who live in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and New York City can join them for Ride & Dine parties on Sunday, 2/14. [Spoiler alert: Every guest list is currently completely full.]

2. vInspired – Last year, vInspired, a UK non-profit, seized the moment last year with a smart video campaign that played on the concept of online dating — to encourage blood donations.

3. Groupon – For a site that’s famous for the great deals it provides, you may want to consider the meaning of “deal” when it comes to Valentine’s Day. For a mere $30,000, and with help from ImpactAV and Kinetic Worldwide, the company’s Valentine’s Day Proposal Package gives you the chance to propose with a stadium-quality 12-by-16-foot LED screen, plus animated graphics from Kinetic. According to Kinetic Worldwide’s head of innovation, Mike Gamaroff, “Groupon considered how to blow out Valentine’s Day with something spectacular. The idea of bringing a Super Bowl jumbotron right to your door came to mind, and Kinetic drew on our experience of creating impressive outdoor spectacles by offering the big screen answer.” So far, no one has purchased this deal.

4. Doritos– People have been talking about Doritos recently because of their outrageous / hilarious ad during the Super Bowl, and the company is trying to continue the momentum over Valentine’s Day. Forget the bouquet of roses… Canadian Doritos fans have a much quirkier way to show their love—with a bouquet of ketchup-flavored Doritos roses. The effort by Doritos is being promoted with a silly ’70s-themed video and shows Ketchup Doritos’ retro packaging.

5. Necco – Perhaps the most associated candy with Valentine’s Day is the famous sweetheart candy hearts. This year, Necco celebrates the candy’s 150th anniversary. The company is inviting people to take part in their contest “of sharing, love, friendship and words from the heart” for a chance to win $5,000. Their homepage features a video telling the story of Jack and George, a couple from Texas who have been “sweethearts” for 55 years. They wed in 2015, shortly after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. 2016 is the first Valentine’s Day they’ll be able to celebrate as a legally married couple.

However you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a wonderful holiday!