Is Valentine's Day in desperate need of a rebrand?

Valentine's Day is around the corner. Across many places around the world, 14 February has been cemented as the day for celebrating love.

While we are seeing some campaigns and activations for the day trickle in the MARKETING-INTERACTIVE newsroom, notably it has been declining over the years. This made us question, do consumers and marketers not care about celebrating Cupid's arrow anymore?

According to a study done by Northwestern University, the number of people celebrating Valentine's Day has decreased over the past 13 years by approximately 0.37% per year. The overall average participation rate for the hallmark day is around 54.5%.

Consumers are said to be spending smarter this Valentine's Day - especially with inflation weighing in on many consumers' minds. An analysis from Visa Consulting and Analytics revealed that in some markets, such as the Philippines, consumers are prioritising meaningful experiences over extravagant spending.

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Brands too are picking up on this element of experience, surprise and delight. For example, in Singapore, Pizza Hut decided that it would close its Marina Square restaurant on 13 February to offer one lucky couple an intimate and private "closed door" candlelit dinner this Valentine's Day. Meanwhile, globally Knorr and Tinder are encouraging singles to #UnlockYourGreenFlag this Valentine's Day by combining food and love and matching couples up.

But the nagging question that keeps popping up in the minds of the journalists in our newsroom is, does Valentine's Day need a revamp? Can we make the celebration of love cool again?

Has love become transactional?

According to Jacopo Pesavento, chief executive officer at Branding Records said Valentine's Day is in desperate need of reinvention, not because love is outdated, but because the way brands approach it has become predictable, transactional and uninspiring. Moreover, plenty of research have concluded Gen Z consumers to be price sensitive, aligning with brands that serve a purpose greater than profit.

"For decades, the holiday has followed the same marketing playbook: Hearts, flowers, chocolates, and extravagant price tags. In an era where consumers crave authenticity and reject forced traditions, Valentine’s Day feels like a relic of the past, more obligation than celebration," he said.

Pesavento added that it is important to redefine the holiday's cultural meaning, rather than just focusing on how to market it better to consumers.

In tandem, Graham Hitchmough, chief operating officer at The Bonsey Design Partnership said Valentine's Day has turned into a reminder that love has become just another transaction. "No wonder consumers, especially younger generations, are turning away from Valentine’s Day as brands continue to peddle a 20th-century time-capsule of romance that no longer resonates," he added.

Who killed love?

Maybe marketers did, say industry players we speak to. According to Hitchmough, brands are a big part of the problem as they insert themselves into what should be a personal and meaningful exchange of affection.

Instead of dictating how love should look and feel, brands would be better placed to rethink their approach by redefining their intended message.

"Love is not confined to romantic relationships. Brands can help to elevate the concept of love by showcasing its diversity, celebrating love between friends, family, pets, and even oneself," said Hitchmough.

He added that in an age of more mindful consumption, experiences matter more than mass-produced gifts. So instead of pushing unoriginal, unsustainable products, brands should create moments and platforms that help consumers express love in their own original ways.

As such, he urged brands to "put your money where your heart is" by doing more to show their own love and gratitude to customers.

Thankfully, not everyone thinks love or Valentine’s Day is dead. Some, such as Virginia Ngai, associate partner at Prophet, think that it is just in waiting.

“Valentine’s Day isn’t dead—it’s just waiting for brands to give it meaning beyond the price tag,” she said. With the new generations rejecting the forced transactional executions, brands who make love feel more real, inclusive and valuable will come out on top, she argued.

For example, LEGO’s “Valentine’s blooms for all” campaign which focuses on impactful storytelling with immersive experiences, including the Botanicals Le Florist Flower Truck Tour, offers an interactive workshop to build blooms with its botanical collection, and the flowers that never wilt.

By reinventing the traditional "flowers and chocolates" playbook, the global campaign calls for celebration of all forms of love, from soulmates and besties, to favorite colleagues and self-lovers.

“For younger generations, Valentine’s Day often feels outdated or exclusionary. To make it relevant, brands need to tap into the cultural zeitgeist and align with evolving values—such as inclusivity, humor, and shared experiences over materialism,” Ngai added.

Bringing back love – and owning it

Just as Hallmark owns the cards and Tiffany's owns gifts, can we have a brand that owns love?

Maybe not. But they can own a moment said, Emilia Mason, executive creative director, experience at Landor and Stephen Pill, director strategy at Landor.

To do so, marketers need to be clear on the emotions their brands evoke and the rituals they can create. For example, a fitness brand might help couples work out together, or a drinks company may find ways to make enjoying their drink with a partner or friends more special.

“Be distinct and relevant, and authentic. That way you'll not just facilitate love, you'll create boundless brand love,” they said.

Vivien Jin, strategy director at Design Bridge and Partners added that “owning” Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be an approach brands take but rather they should try to position themselves as a conduit for diverse expressions of love, while aligning their offerings with their unique DNA.

“The key is shifting the focus, less about how we celebrate Valentine's Day and more about cherishing the actual love we share every single day,” she said.

Pesavento asks that brands need to shift from selling love to enabling it by crafting experience that feel meaningful in order to reclaim Valentine's Day.

"Romantic love is just one part of the equation. There’s friendship, self-love, community love. Gen Z, in particular, embraces fluidity in relationships and celebrations, think of Galentine’s Day or even self-love February. Brands that tap into these broader narratives can make the holiday more inclusive and culturally relevant," he said.

So, in conclusion, no single brand can or should “own” Valentine’s Day 2.0, but that’s not the point. As Hitmough puts it, in an era of experience and hyper-personalisation, brands must do better than falling back on romantic tropes and focus on what truly matters.

“Don’t try and guilt-trip everyone into doing the same tired things – focus on your own consumers and give them insightful, nuanced and delightful ways to express their deepest emotions in ways that are truest to them. They might actually love you for it,” he said.

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