Here are the Valentine's Day campaigns that made our hearts swoon

Valentine's day might be in need of a marketing makeover, but it didn't stop brands from showing their creative side this 14 February. But before we get into that, here are some interesting stats for you to know. 

This year, restaurant booking apps saw a significant surge, with installs and sessions increasing by 156% and 88% respectively on 14 February, according to Adjust.

Recipe apps experienced a peak in sessions by 60% on 12 February, while music and audio apps saw a 35% growth in installs on 10 February. Messaging apps also had a notable increase in sessions by 31% on Valentine's Day.

Despite a 13% year-over-year drop in dating app installs and sessions from January 2023 to December 2024, sessions remained strong during key seasonal periods. From social and entertainment apps to restaurant and food delivery apps, the season of love sparked a notable surge in app usage, presenting marketers across Southeast Asia (SEA) an opportunity to engage users with relevant and targeted offerings, said the report. 

Despite the notable decline of campaigns over the years, we did see some brands jump onto out-of-the-box ideas to bring consumers a glimpse of love through a unique lens.

As we clear up the leftover chocolate wrappers and semi-wilted roses, let's take a look at some of the Valentine's Day campaigns that brands put out this year. 

Don't miss: Is Valentine's Day in desperate need of a rebrand?

1. Cadbury

This Valentine's Day, Ogilvy Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore partnered with Cadbury to celebrate the imperfect reality of real love. In collaboration with design agency Bulletproof, Ogilvy developed a split-heart design symbolising two halves of a whole, crafted to represent a range of individual preferences from music genres to travel destinations.

Additionally, Cadbury released a campaign film showcasing a couple embracing their imperfections and celebrating their unique difference over the Valentine's-themed chocolate bar. 

2. Domino's

Domino’s Pizza Singapore added a fun, social-first twist to the season of love with a cheeky campaign in response to Pizza Hut’s Marina Square outlet closure for a private couple’s celebration. In a statement, the pizza giant said, "At Domino’s, we believe that everyone and every love story deserves a slice of happiness, so we took to social media with a playful response, inviting all pizza lovers to celebrate love with us." 

Beyond its post, Domino's stated that it personally engaged with Pizza Hut’s campaign participants in their comments section with over 60 personalised messages, extending cheesy invitations for them to enjoy a slice of pizza at Domino’s instead.

3. Durex 

This Valentine's Day, condoms and personal lubricants company Durex Thailand, in collaboration with Sour Bangkok, unveiled its bold stand on pleasure equality in an out-of-home (OOH) campaign, showcasing various statistics and points of views from women about sexual pleasure. In a statement, Durex said, "The campaign amplifies unheard voices and challenges the imbalance in pleasure to turn orgasms into ALLgasm."

The posters also featured striking photos of women's lips and was shared on the company's Instagram page. 

4. Knorr and Tinder 

Dating is harder than ever, with 91% of men and 94% of women agreeing on the struggle. But food brand Knorr and dating app Tinder have uncovered a simple solution: cooking. Their latest study shows that 93% of Gen Z singles see cooking as the ultimate "green flag" in dating.

Knorr and Tinder are encouraging singles to #UnlockYourGreenFlag by adding cooking to their Tinder interests, making it easier to bond over food.

5. Luckin Coffee

Coffeehouse chain Luckin Coffee took to the streets to talk to Singaporeans about their first romantic crush. People from various backgrounds shared how they met their crushes, what they liked about them, and saucy details such as who made the first move. In addition, Luckin Coffee took the opportunity to highlight its latest "First crush tea", a blend of Ceylon black tea and milk. 

5. IKEA

A day before Valentine's Day, home furnishing retailer IKEA shared a series of pun-filled pick-up lines on Instagram featuring an array of its products, encouraging customers to share the cheesy phrases with their significant others. "Forget roses, nothing says romance better than an IKEA pick-up line," the caption read. 

6. Pizza Hut 

For the first time, Pizza Hut Singapore closed the entirety of its Marina Square restaurant on 13 February to offer one lucky couple an intimate and private "closed door" candlelit dinner this Valentine's Day.

The evening aimed to be a symphony of love, with a live violinist serenading the lucky couple for one hour, while they are served a delectable spread from a menu curated just for them.

7. SingPost

For Valentine's Day, postal service provider Singapore Post (Singpost) hit up employees who met and found love within the company. The 80-second clip was shared across its social media platforms, highlighting the story of a couple who kindled their romance at Singpost.  

The video highlighted key moments of the couple's lives, including when they first met, their first impressions of each other, and what they had planned for Valentine's Day this year. 

8. Uncle Roger 

Malaysian comedian, YouTuber and restauranter Nigel Ng, best known for portraying a middle-aged Cantonese character Uncle Roger, was giving away a free meal to eight lucky Malaysians. The catch? They had to share how single they are on Valentine's Day, a prestigious day to celebrate love. 

To enter the giveaway, users had to simply comment how single they were to stand a chance to win a free meal at one of Ng's restaurants. The eight lucky winners would also receive a special souvenir. 

9. Volvo

Last but definitely not least, luxury vehicle company Volvo Singapore released a series of car-related pick-up lines ahead of Valentine's Day, prompting consumers to "book a date" with the company to enjoy the perks of its vehicles. 

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