Valentine’s Day celebrations raise questions like, “What do I get my significant other?” “Is this too much or too little?” “What should I get her?” “Would he even like this?” Then, a promotion appeared on social media, a flyer and so forth.
Companies took a holiday like Valentine’s Day and promoted the different deals they had to offer. Ulta Beauty’s website featured a Valentine’s gift guide filled with “Heartfelt beauty gifts, date night essentials, and self-care sweetness.” Target’s website had a page for Valentine’s Day gifts, stating, “Show the love” and “Get last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts with same-day delivery or free pickup.”
Luke Hall, sophomore architecture major, said, “It is extremely hard to avoid valentines stuff because it’s pushed onto consumers by being presented in high traffic areas of stores and website landing pages.”
Retailers like Ulta Beauty and Target catered to consumers by offering gift ideas and same-day delivery, even for a holiday that may have felt less significant than Christmas. They also maximized profits through bundles and themed merchandise, making substantial efforts for smaller celebrations.
Dr. Christina Gonzalez, associate professor of marketing, highlighted that this did not only happen with Valentine’s Day but with anything considered a big deal to specific target markets.
“Retailers love creating moments in time to market to consumers to drive/increase sales. These moments can include buzzworthy opportunities like the Super Bowl or the World Series, but they also often focus on key holidays like Valentine’s Day. In fact, brands are very keen to consumer interest in holidays such as Valentine’s Day, as some of their largest audiences or segments are willing to spend even more during the month of February.”
Companies took time to develop strategies that would benefit them during these buzzworthy moments.
“Companies often use an audience calendar to strategically plan for these holidays and will go to market with specialized products with bespoke holiday creative in an attempt to be more relevant and to create a competitive differentiator. A classic example of this includes consumer packaged goods companies that begin marketing their specialized products with Valentine’s Day-themed creative almost immediately after Christmas,” Gonzalez said.
Since many consumers spent heavily during Christmas, February presented an opportunity for companies to promote deals and drive additional spending.
“The earlier brands can course-correct their sales in the year, the more they are able to profit from recurring revenue and thereby become more profitable. Most brands no longer need to wait until Black Friday to become net positive or profitable,” Gonzalez said.
Retailers continue to find ways to make smaller moments profitable so they did not have to rely solely on bigger holidays or peak spending periods. This allowed them to maintain profit year-round.
“In fact, some segments spend more money during holidays like Valentine’s Day due to the expected early receipt of income tax returns and disposable income. As a result, many brands increase their media spend in February to capitalize on this phenomenon,” Gonzalez said.
Ruby Popp, sophomore Christian studies and early childhood studies double major, said, “It is sad that Valentine’s Day has become such a commercial holiday and has lost its original meaning.”
Even if companies focused on profit, people could still hold onto the holiday’s original meaning while being mindful of spending. Gonzalez encouraged consumers to be cautious when shopping for Valentine’s Day deals.
“Ensure it really is a good deal and not just a marketing campaign. Right price, right value and right time to purchase,” Gonzalez said, emphasizing thoughtful spending when shopping for a significant other.
While companies heavily marketed Valentine’s Day, people should remember the reasons behind it and be mindful of their spending habits.
