More to love: The evolution of Valentine’s Day offers opportunities for brands

Valentine’s Day is evolving beyond romantic hetero couples celebrating with flowers, chocolates and dinners out, broadening sales and marketing opportunities for both manufacturers and retailers. Below I discuss some of them.Valentine’s Day OriginsValentine’s Day began in ancient Roman times as an observance of fertility rites with the festival of Lupercalia, celebrated February 13-15. In the third century AD, it became associated with Saint Valentine, a priest who secretly performed marriages despite a ban on them by Emperor Claudius II, and who was executed on February 14. The first explicit link between Valentine’s Day and romantic love came in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th-century poem Parlement of Foules, which described February 14 as the day when birds choose their mates. This association with ‘courtly love’ led to the exchange of love notes and tokens among the aristocracy. The more commercial practices of giving flowers and chocolates took root in Victorian England in the 19th century, fuelled by the era’s love of symbolism and ‘floriography’ (language of flowers), and the Industrial Revolution’s capacity to produce affordable luxuries for mass consumption, particularly Richard Cadbury’s heart-shaped chocolate boxes made specifically for Valentine’s Day.So, about 150 years later, have we collectively moved on from flowers and chocolates? What are the opportunities now?An increasingly diverse and inclusive celebrationValentine’s Day in Australia has shown varied engagement levels in recent years. In 2024, about 23 per cent of Australians planned to celebrate the occasion. This marks a slight decrease from previous years, with 77 per cent opting not to participate, either choosing not to celebrate (41 per cent) or not having a partner (36 per cent). These numbers were lower than in the notoriously sentimental and perhaps more traditional US, where about 52 per cent of adults planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2024.While traditional celebrations like romantic dinners out and gifts of flowers, chocolates and jewellery remain prevalent or even dominant, there is a noticeable shift towards more personalised and experience-based celebrations. This change reflects a broader trend of valuing shared experiences and meaningful connections over material gifts, and of notions of love diversifying beyond the romantic or hetero. The rise of self-love, personal care and empowerment, and platonic friendship celebrations, such as Palentine’s Day’, on February 13, indicate a more inclusive approach to Valentine’s Day.Categories for Valentine’s Day gifting have, therefore, been gradually expanding. They now include not only perfumes but items such as engraved accessories and bespoke art pieces, clothing and accessories, tech gadgets, books and music, and – particularly for the self-love celebrations – at-home spa experiences and related categories such as candles, bubble bath, and at-home facials and masks.The real shift, however, has been toward experiences. Outdoor activities such as picnics, beach outings, and scenic hikes have shown an uptick, particularly for the small but growing Palentine’s Day. Other experiences showing Valentine’s increases include weekend getaways with spa treatments, concerts, and theatre performances. Shared hobbies, including dancing and cooking classes or sports, are also on the rise. These all represent opportunities to promote gift cards for such experiences to those who plan in advance of Valentine’s Day, such as in January.Cooking classes and cooking together obviously offer opportunities for retailers and manufacturers to promote Valentine’s Day ‘dinners in’, whether for romantic partners, groups of friends, or dinner for one. The experience can be elevated with gourmet ingredients and special recipe suggestions. This taps into the cost-of-living trend of eating more dinners in, but with a willingness to make certain items and experiences premium. In 2024, Australians celebrating Valentine’s Day were projected to spend an average of $201 per person. Leveraging Valentine’s Day trends: a new playbookManufacturers and retailers can increase their share of Valentine’s Day spending in Australia by targeting traditional categories like chocolates and beverages, and by actively promoting the self-love and platonic friendship occasions with suitable product categories. There are a host of ways this can be achieved. Some examples below.Premiumise and personalise traditional categoriesLaunch limited-edition confectionery and wine lines with premium packaging and the opportunity for personalised messaging.Introduce ‘date night’ packs with items like popcorn, gourmet chips, or desserts designed for couples.Create Valentine’s-themed cocktails. Introduce augmented-reality packaging that unlocks romantic messages or interactive experiences when scanned.Leverage the growth in experiencesPartner with spas, movie theatres, and cooking schools to feature products in Valentine’s packages; for example, offer a branded chocolate fondue set at a cooking class.Offer couples-focused kits, like DIY cocktail sets or dessert-making kits.Include products in curated subscription boxes for Valentine’s Day.Focus on friendship occasions for Palentine’s DayMarket products as suitable for group celebrations, emphasising inclusivity for those not in romantic relationships:Host tasting sessions, mixology workshops, or dessert-making classes featuring specific products.Create limited-edition packaging that celebrates friendship with inclusive designs and messages.Introduce products designed for sharing, like multi-packs of snacks, beverages or ‘friends-sized’ portions.Offer snack and drink bundles for group gatherings such as movie nights or picnics.Curate gift boxes with items such as chocolates, skincare products and beverages aimed at friendship gifting.Provide friendship-themed kits like cocktail-mixing sets for people to enjoy together.Facilitate experiences by partnering with venues and influencers to host Palentine’s Day events, such as friendship brunches, craft workshops or game nights.Launch hashtags like #ShareTheLove or #PalentinesWith[Brand], encouraging people to post about celebrating with friends.Run promotions asking users to nominate their best friends for a chance to win friendship-themed hampers or experiences.Incentivise customers to share deals with friends by offering rewards for referrals tied to Palentine’s Day.Create in-store displays and leverage retail media touchpoints to promote Palentine’s Day and friendship-focused product bundles.Cross-promote products, like snacks paired with themed merchandise and event tickets.Promote Valentine’s Day for OneThe number of single-person households is increasing in Australia. Australians are increasingly delaying or forgoing exclusive life partnerships, influenced by economic factors, evolving social norms, and individual priorities. Indicators include decreasing marriage rates, increased age at marriage, and the growing number of women opting to remain ‘boy sober’. Tapping into the associated, and growing, self-love Valentine’s Day trend means linking products and campaigns to themes of self-care, wellness, mindfulness and indulgence, such as:Bundling items like skincare products, healthy snacks or teas in self-care kits or packages. Market these as perfect for a ‘me time’ Valentine’s Day experience.Offering premium or indulgent treats, such as dark chocolates, organic snacks and artisanal beverages, which align with self-rewarding behaviour. Create self-love-themed packaging with uplifting messages like ‘Treat Yourself’ or ‘You Deserve It’. For example, a premium chocolate brand could launch a ‘Love Yourself Box’ with curated flavours and affirmations inside each wrapper.Promoting at-home spa concepts through bundles of bath salts or bubble bath, candles and herbal teas.Sharing simple yet indulgent recipes for one.Encouraging customers to share how they practice self-love with brands, using hashtags like #SelfLoveWith[Brand]Collaborating with wellness, self-care and lifestyle influencers to showcase how certain products and brands enhance their self-love rituals.Partnering with self-care or wellness brands for co-branded campaigns or bundled offers.Positioning single-serve indulgences or small self-care items near checkouts as ‘treat yourself’ impulse purchases.Sponsoring or organising events like mindfulness sessions, yoga classes, or DIY beauty workshops that integrate relevant products.Offering ‘treat yourself’ discounts on products leading up to Valentine’s Day.Other Marketing SupportCreate in-store displays – perhaps something like ‘Celebrate Valentine’s Day Your Way’ – encompassing offers spanning gifts for traditional romance, self-love and friendshipCraft ads and social media content that focus on love, connection, and self-careEncourage customers to share their Valentine’s Day celebrations featuring brands, using a unique hashtag.Collaborate with florists, jewellers, and experience providers to co-promote offersPartner with lifestyle and relationship influencers to showcase how brands can enhance Valentine’s experiences.While Valentine’s Day remains a fairly notable occasion in Australia, its popularity and the manner of celebration are evolving, influenced by economic factors and changing societal attitudes. It is extending beyond romantic partnerships to encompass friendships and self-love; recognising and valuing diverse forms of affection and connection.Manufacturers and retailers have an opportunity to leverage global trends and broaden the perception of what Valentine’s Day is and who it is for, which in turn broadens the categories that can be leveraged for this occasion. By aligning with the Palentine’s Day theme and the values of self-love, manufacturers and retailers can position themselves as champions of friendship and emotional connection, themes that extend well beyond Valentine’s Day.