Valentine’s Day, an international festival celebrating the feeling of love, holds a greater significance than just a day for the lovers. People across the globe celebrate by sending love messages and gifts to partners, friends and family. It is a multi-channel marketing bonanza worth billions of dollars with brands striking on the promotional opportunities when the iron is hot.
Brands from all sectors have jumped on the Valentine’s Day bandwagon leading to huge campaigns with user generated content, social media campaigns, sophisticated display of ads, viral videos etc. Words like “Valentine,” “gift” and “love” float around throughout February in each and every promotional mail, pop up or even hoardings for that matter.
Toranj Mehta, Director of Marketing, De Beers India says, “The pandemic has led to a major shift in consumer buying and there are evident signs of growth in exposure and interest among consumers to invest in luxury retail, particularly in jewellery. Consumers today look at purchasing items that hold meaning and those that add value in their lives. This new consumer insight emerged over the past two years and will definitely affect the spends this Valentine’s Day and through the year.”
Mehta added, “De Beers Forevermark will be investing in all key media avenues and certainly digital media plays a significant role. As we look at expanding our e-commerce platform this year, we are planning to make substantial investments in the relevant platforms. With diamond consumption growing higher owing to the pandemic, 2022 is a promising year for De Beers Forevermark and we intend to leverage the opportunity in the most convenient manner to garner maximum mileage inclusive of Tier II and Tier III markets.”
“As Valentine’s Day is deeply rooted in love and commitment, our recent global campaign exemplifies these values with the powerful statement, ‘I do.’ This is one of the most significant and time-honored expressions of intent. Deeply emotional and instantly life-changing, it is an eternal promise between two individuals to a shared future. Our new campaign emphasizes the importance of these powerful commitments, and takes these two iconic words into new territory, expanding their meaning to stand for personal pledges of all kinds: to love, friendship, family and more. The meaning of ‘I do.’ has expanded and it’s more relevant than ever – and diamonds have a broader spectrum of meaning than ever before,” concluded Mehta.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk is all set to make Valentine’s Day experience more immersive both physically and virtually with a new strawberry flavoured heart in the center and a secret message technology. Anil Viswanathan, Vice President – Marketing, Mondelez India said, “Over the years, the overwhelming response to ‘Pop The Heart’ has made Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk a medium of expression and with the new heart center, the aim is to become an everlasting ritual to celebrate love. We understand that the definition of a relationship is evolving, and with the digital age, as the world becomes more and more inclusive, couples want their relationship as exclusive as possible, and we as a brand want to aid the celebration, the way they’d like it. To secure this special place, with #HowFarWillYouGoToMakeThemBlush, the personalized Augmented reality technology, which is a first for the nation, empowers our consumers to go all out, secretly, when expressing their love. We truly hope that this year again our brand strikes a chord with all our consumers and makes them blush.”
Monginis Cake is all geared up with its 360-degree planning, says Qusai Khorakiwala, Executive Director. “As Covid restrictions are getting removed every single day, we don’t think that there will be much impact on Valentine’s Day Celebrations this year throughout the country. People will celebrate this valentines’ day with great enthusiasm and happiness. Monginis already started celebrations for Valentine’s Day 2 weeks in advance from 01st February through Hoarding and BQS advertising campaigns throughout the city. Valentine’s Special Cakes and chocolates in a wide range are available in the cake shops from 05th February across India. Cake Shops will be decorated with Valentine Special themes across 10 days. Customers will get an assured free gift* on Valentine’s Day cakes purchases through this 10 days period at cake shops.
He further said, “These products will be available at online platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato and Monginis online ordering website also. Valentine’s Special 1 minute ad will be release on Youtube platform and various popular music apps such as Gaana, Spotify, Wync music, Jio Saavn to capture young age customers.“
On banking and strategies Khorakiwala added, “As Valentine’s Day is the last biggest Celebration event in the financial year and 2nd biggest event according to Sales for Monginis, we are geared up to take advantage of the love season. Through a wide variety of Valentine’s Day special cakes and chocolates and 360 degree Media campaign, we are ready to boost our valentine’s season sales across India. Valentine’s Day special cakes are starting from Rs.325/- each to Rs.780/- each with a special variety of chocolates too. Such a wide variety of cakes and chocolates and freebies availability at cake shops level will create a buzz in the market, supported by 360-degree Marketing & Advertising campaign, ensuring that Monginis will have the upper hand in the market as compared to their competition.”
With online shopping and gifting at its peak, Ambarish Ray, Co-founder and CEO, Digital Dogs Content and Media, says, “Brands are gearing up with gusto and betting big on online shopping as well as gifting. There are major cultural trends as well as hyper-accelerated catalysts that have been born in the last two years of unprecedented global situations. We have clients across major categories that are traditionally guided by the cyclical nature of consumer purchase behavior – like jewelry, fashion of a certain style, occasion-wear and others. With online shopping on the highest of highs, we are building strategies with our clients for activating high OTS brand and content programs and cloud-delivered fulfillment solutions.”
Nishit Nanda, CEO, youlry.com – cloud-first, Khimji Jewels stated, “As a modern and contemporary gold and precious stones lifestyle brand, Valentine’s Day is a major occasion for us. Not only for what historical significance it has on cyclical category purchase but also for the new normal in purchase and consumption. People are revenge shopping, making the delightful experience of choosing and buying beautiful things replace the joyless uncertainty of a previous couple of years. We are noticing a sustained uptick in Valentine’s Day themed enquiries and our design and fulfillment teams are at the wheel 24×7 to deliver to customer experience and demand”.
Nanda further added, “Sentiments are evergreen and being in the jewellery industry for decades, allow me to assure you, sentiments will never get replaced. But what is happening is the rapid and innovative productization of sentiments and the individual definition of it. A diamond ring is a marker for deep sentiment. So is chocolate. But gifting is very personal and the real sentiment behind gifting is shifting from what the ‘gifter’ wants to give to what the ‘giftee’ would like to choose for himself or herself. E gifts and vouchers are great markers for celebrating the choice and individual preferences in gifting. If I gift you a jewellery voucher for instance, then I know you love jewellery but within that decision, I am really gifting you your specific choice.”
