How to Win Valentine’s Day 2021 with Brand Activations

Valentine’s Day 2021 might be the most important one ever, and retailers need to take advantage of that with brand activations.

It’s fair to say that Valentine’s Day 2021 might be the most important one in years. It’s the first one since the COVID-19 outbreak, and for most of the UK it will be spent in lockdown. Still, it’s the kind of celebration many people are in great need of, and all over the country people will be doing Valentine’s in their own special way.

As a brand, this is an opportunity to generate awareness with an activation. The right marketing campaign can really strike a chord, and your target audience is likely to be extremely receptive. So how can you use this to succeed this Valentine’s Day? Here are some ideas to bear in mind.

Use nostalgia

The pandemic has been extremely stressful, which has caused people to seek comfort in nostalgia. More than half of consumers have been revisiting the TV they enjoyed while younger during lockdown, and the same can be said for music. We tend to remember the past as a simpler time when we had less to worry about, which is very appealing in 2021!

As marketers, we can tap into this. Think about romantic cultural touchstones that will resonate with your audience. For example, millennials will identify with the film Titanic, while Generation X will probably be more familiar with the “you had me at hello” scene from Jerry Maguire. Everything from music to colour schemes can evoke a feeling of nostalgia by tapping into a previous time period.

Different kinds of love

Everyone’s Valentine’s celebrations are different, and that has never been more true than in 2021. People are unable to visit restaurants or go to the cinema, and are having to use their imagination. Many couples aren’t even in the same house as each other, and will need to find a way of celebrating remotely.

Your marketing needs to keep this in mind. People will be ordering takeaways, buying meal kits or cooking elaborate meals rather than going out. They might be watching Netflix, playing board games or just talking on Zoom. Showing you understand this will be key to a successful brand activation this Valentine’s.

Top tip: If your brand doesn't really fit the bill for Valentine's Day, why not celebrate Galentine's Day or Palentine's Day instead?

Be reliable this Valentine's Day

According to the Harvard Business School, in a crisis like COVID-19 consumers “consider the brands they use to be trusted partners and look to them for information." So many things about the world right now seem unreliable, so brands need to show that they can be counted on to provide a consistent service wherever possible.

Let your customers know that they can count on you. Provide and deliver exceptional service, whether that is complimentary gift wrapping, custom cards or guaranteed delivery. Do all that you can do prove yourself as a reliable brand.

Talk about the elephant in the room

Early in the pandemic, Twitter did some research into how customers thought brands should be acting. The majority said that companies should continue advertising as normal. However, only 7% said they should keep the same tone of voice as pre-pandemic. The vast majority agreed brands should be showing their support to essential workers, healthcare staff and their employees.

Whilst many consumers are tired of hearing Covid-related news, the fact of the matter is that this Valentine’s Day is different. Don’t shy away from admitting it and offering a reasonable related offer or solution. Show you care, and make sure people know your employees are being looked after. You will find this is the path to increased customer loyalty.

Is your brand ready for Valentine's Day 2021?