“Cupid rhymes with stupid!”
I must admit that I am a sucker for everything romantic… in the movies, that is. I’ve watched Pretty Woman over and over and still get moved to tears particularly at the ending when Edward overcomes his fear of heights to climb up the fire escape and give Vivian her fairy tale ending. I also enjoyed You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally and recently Crazy Rich Asians. But my love for rom-com movies, does not change how I hate Valentine’s Day. Hate it!
The red and pink heart cut-outs scattered around the city, the cupid themed everything, the contrived public display of affection and the heavy traffic in the city. Ugh! I would buy into the romance on the silver screen but applying these rom-com style displays of love in real life? I don’t think so.
Am I alone in feeling this way about the 2nd biggest greeting card sending holiday? Or are there more Valentine Scrooge out there, like me?
Let's take a look at people's attitude on St. Valentine's Day.
38.39% — it is a nice reminder of romance in our mundane lives.
33.23% — I either love you every day or do not love you every day, no celebration can change it.
16.13% — Hate it, we do not need this artificial occasion created by marketing people
7.10% — I like it! Gonna show you all my love!
5.16% — A chance to show affection to my secret crush
And here’s more fun facts…
14% of women send flowers to themselves
3% of pet owners give their pets a Valentine’s Day gift
Condom sales go up 20–30% on Valentine’s
More home pregnancy tests are sold in March than any other month
64% of men don’t make plans in advance for Valentine’s Day
53% of women end their relationship if they didn’t get anything for Valentine’s Day
Hate it or love it, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and that means roses, heart candies and cuddly teddy bears are everywhere! Here’s the list of common gifts people buy their loved ones on Valentine’s Day.
52.1% Cards 47.5% Candy 34.6% Dining 34.3% Flowers 17.3% Jewelry 14.4% Clothing 12.6% Gift Cards 11.2% Others
With COVID-19 being in the United States for technically more than a year now, the upcoming Valentine’s Day will be the first that’s truly impacted by the pandemic. Like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and all the other holidays before it, V-day will be subjected to the host of restrictions and advisories in place everywhere.
The bottom line, whether we like it or not, Valentine’s Day is one of the year’s most lucrative shopping seasons. Tens of billions of dollars are spent each year on Valentine’s Day. As a business owner be ready to wrap just about any of your products and services in red or put it in a heart box.
And as Valentine’s Day perceptions and celebrations evolve and adjust to the reality of COVID, it would be a time to get creative most especially with your marketing efforts — adapt to the changes and make the most out of the holiday.
For creative marketing ideas all-year round, check out my other blogs on Medium. Or, email us or visit our website for help with branding for your small business.