Love is in the air! So we’re sharing three brands we love from our feeds that prove that the best Valentine’s Day campaigns go beyond tradition and invite audiences to join in on the fun. From interactive activations to unexpected collaborations, these campaigns capture engagements and hearts. Let’s explore the key takeaways that can help your brand spark connection and boost brand love.
Dill You Be Mine?
When you think of stopping to smell the roses, do you imagine smelling a salty cucumber? Nope? Same!
Building on the Valentine’s Day tradition of gifting flowers, Grillo’s Pickles—the cult-favorite brand known for delicious pickles and playful innovations (like pickle-flavored toothpaste!)—has bent the rules again by putting a dill-lightful twist on the classic Valentine’s bouquet. Enter the Pickle Bouquet Kit: a quirky gift that has been making waves, even making it to The Late Night Show.
The proof is in the pickle. Embracing the unexpected and taking a playful approach to seasonal trends can drive conversation, boost engagement rates, increase brand love, and capture audiences attention with the unexpected.What does this mean for your brand? Think beyond the ordinary. Take a familiar part of daily life or a trending pop culture moment and apply it to your brand. The key? Offer an experience that allows consumers to join in on the fun like accessible DIY kits that encourage deeper engagement and invite your community to be part of your activation.
The Philosophy of Love
Fact: Hallmark movies and Valentine’s Day are a perfect match.
Fact: Knowing your audience and what makes them swoon builds real connection.
Fact: Beauty brands don’t always need beauty influencers to make an impact.
What’s the situationship? Philosophy, a skincare and fragrance brand, flipped the script for their Valentine’s Day campaign by not casting a beauty influencer and instead partnered with Hallmark icon Lacey Chabert—who found her perfect match in Philosophy’s Purity Cleanser.
By choosing a beloved figure their audience already knows and adores, Philosophy made self-care as swoon-worthy as a rom-com. And the best part? They understood their audience and didn’t need an expected beauty influencer to do it. While Gen Z idolizes beauty gurus, Philosophy knows its core audience—aka Millennials who grew up watching Lacey on screen. Her familiar face builds instant trust and nostalgia, making the campaign all the more effective. This campaign isn’t just about great skincare; it’s a masterclass in knowing your audience and speaking to them in the most relatable way. Want a tip for finding the perfect match for your next campaign? Philosophy proved that embracing the culture of your community can lead to unlikely, yet lovable, partnerships. Dig into your comments, DMs, and forums to find someone your fandom loves and will instantly connect with.
Conversely, Valentine’s Day
Converse, the iconic sneaker brand, proves you don’t have to stick to just one vibe. Blending traditional romance with bold, grungy aesthetics, their latest campaign shows that sweet and edgy can coexist—both in your closet and your personality.
Who better to bring this vision to life than Alex Consani? No stranger to making history, Alex was the world’s youngest transgender model at the time, the first openly transgender woman to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and continues to break boundaries while encouraging people to own their individuality.
Time and time again, Valentine’s Day campaigns have stuck to soft pastels, lace, and ultra-romantic aesthetics. While Converse embraces those elements, they crank up the volume by introducing a daring, grunge alter ego into the mix. Black leather boots, pink high tops, and black sneakers with embroidered roses give Alex a traditional romantic aesthetic AND a rebellious, confident edge.
So what’s the takeaway? It’s time to rethink tradition. Take a deeper look at your audience’s multifaceted style and find an unexpected way to showcase contrasting aesthetics together. With contrast comes creativity. Partner with a personality who challenges industry norms and connects with fans in an authentic, unfiltered way. Most importantly, recognize that consumers are moving away from tradition and gravitating toward brands that push boundaries and redefine the norm.
TL;DR
Whether speaking to a niche audience or a multi-faceted fandom, the key to a standout campaign is creating content that sparks connection. Invite participation with interactive experiences. Uncover opportunities in the comments to activate brand fandom. Embrace contrast to break away from the expected. The best brand moments happen when you listen, experiment, and give your audience a reason to engage in a way that feels fresh, exciting, and authentic.
