If you’re currently in a romantic relationship, Valentine’s Day is hopelessly devoted to you! 

For those of you who aren’t, fear not, Valentine’s Day is your holiday too! 

We all know this holiday is heavily commercialized, marketed as the designated time to profess your love for that special someone. Hell, no sooner are the Christmas decorations down at the mall then up come the hearts and flowers. And yes, if you’re in a romantic relationship, it’s practically expected that you indulge in Valentine celebrations. Whether through handwritten notes, flowers, chocolates or a quiet dinner at a swanky restaurant, professing your love monetarily on this day is something you ignore at your own peril. 

However, it can also be done simply, a day devoted to love, but we think your brand can and should take a deeper look at how you can bring Valentine’s Day to all people. 

Something else we, as a strategic branding and marketing company, dare not ignore is the ability to get in on the Valentine’s Day festivities and step up our love celebration game. 

Now, if you’re a candy or flower shop, promoting Valentine’s Day is as easy as unlocking your doors in the morning. Those of us not in romance-adjacent industries will have a slightly trickier road ahead. So how do we profess our love of love through marketing and branding? Let’s explore how you can present this holiday of love to all people….

It’s important to note that not every generation feels the same love for Valentine’s Day that others do. Let’s first note the fact that the holiday can be varied and inclusive, and not limited to couples in the throes of the honeymoon phase. Don’t forget about Galentine’s Day and the platonic affection it elicits. It can be a day for people who love their pets like family. School age children exchange gifts with friends and classmates. Celebrating self love helps single people through what can be a trying time for them as well. What we’re saying is that expanding your radius will capture the hearts of those who weren’t planning on celebrating the holiday traditionally. 

Opening up this inclusive celebration is also good for business!

Here are some fun ways to promote Valentine’s Day (and yourself) to your clients (attached and otherwise)…

• Create a social media contest.

Ask your customers to share their love stories, and offer incentives to the best (or funniest) ones. Make sure to emphasize your affection for the varieties of love that exist in the world. Keep it light and fun!

• Create some Valentine-themed content

There’s no better way to embrace the day than by, well, embracing it! Write a Valentine’s Day-themed blog, create social media posts, or send out love themed emails. Get yourself involved with love, is what we’re saying! People enjoy seeing a brand engaged in relatable, human emotions, and this sort of action can inspire affection from your customers. 

• Host a virtual Valentine mixer

It’s 2024! Get virtual! Host an event (maybe with wine and cheese) that encourages employees and/or customers to drop by and take part. Valentine’s Day can and should be for everyone. The more the merrier! 

• Sweet deals for sweethearts

Offer deals and gifts catered to the holiday, but don’t necessarily feel compelled to take yourself, or it, too seriously. Expressing love for someone doesn’t have to feel forced or walled-in by romance. Put a new spin on an old tradition with promotions that emphasize positivity above all else. 

• Valentine redesign

As always, adding a little holiday-themed love to your logo, splash page, or Facebook page will let people know you’re getting in on the festivities. A brief logo dress-up makes your brand stand out and enhances the human element of your organization.

Finally, why not use this time, in your own way, to remind people that we’re all pretty much the same. We, by and large, desire the same security, comfort and love. While we’re not all on the same path, our goals don’t really differ all that much. So, why not give Valentine’s Day the positive energy it deserves and remind people of the power they possess for change and unity under the banner of humanity as a whole? 

Cynics will say, “Oh, it’s just a holiday created by Hallmark”, and they’re not totally wrong. However, just like every other heavily marketed holiday, Valentine’s Day is what you make of it, and millions of people can make a whole lot of good out of it. 

To that we say: let’s brand the LOVE!