We understand there are mixed feelings and opinions about Valentine’s Day. For some, it means chocolate, flowers, and a romantic dinner. For others, it’s about getting together with girlfriends and celebrating friendship. Or, it may be a day full of self-love and treating yourself.
Regardless of the feelings surrounding the holiday, we know it is an essential opportunity for brands to connect with consumers. Love is a multi-billion dollar business, and you won’t want to miss out! If you’re looking for some inspiration for your Valentine’s Day marketing strategy, check out some of our favorite campaigns below.
Dunkin Donuts “Dunkin’ Love”
Dunkin’ Donuts implemented a multi-channel campaign that encouraged consumers to promote its brand through user-generated content. With two Snapchat geofilters, an Instagram contest, and Facebook Live music performance, Dunkin’ made sure its social media presence was on point.
The Takeaway: Create a Diverse Social Media Campaign
Social media is a great way to interact with your customers and increase brand awareness. This campaign was successful because it allowed consumers to be creative and post photos with their holiday treats. In relying on fans to spread a positive message, the brand was also able to get in front of a larger audience. In fact, 71% of consumers who have had a positive experience on social media are more likely to recommend the brand to others. As such, consider creating a social media campaign around the holiday. For instance, create a Facebook contest where users can tag three “people they love” and share the photo. The winner, who can be picked at random, will win a free gift. This can be a simple, effective way to spread the word about your brand
Bath & Body Works “V-day Vibes”
Bath & Body Works decked out its homepage with Valentine’s Day-inspired scents and graphics. The company incorporated eye-catching displays of its signature holiday scents surrounded by roses on pink and red backgrounds. The brand also included catchy puns, such as “Love at First Scent” in addition to offering a coupon code, “VDAYVIBES” for $10 off $30 purchases.
The Takeaway: Offer Holiday Promotions
Engage with customers by offering sales promotions during busy shopping times. These promotions can include free shipping, percentage discounts, free gifts, and more. To make it even easier for consumers to access the discount, create a unique holiday discount code that appears at the top of the landing page. Also consider updating your site with Valentine’s Day-themed banners. Not only will these promotions drive consumers to your site, it will also increase the likelihood of sales. For instance, promotions like these are said to have a 28% click to conversion rate. By showing your customers some love, you will receive the same in return.
Nordstrom “Give a Little Wow Gift Guide”
Nordstrom creates a Valentine’s Day Gift Guide every year to help shoppers that need a bit of guidance in finding the perfect gift. The brand has created separate guides for men, women, kids, and friends, which really simplifies the process. All of the featured products include links to the product pages, further easing the purchasing process. The guides include a wide variety of unique gifts at different price points, so there is something for everyone!
The Takeaway: Create Your Own Gift Guide
Most people have little direction on what to buy for their loved ones. By providing customers with a shopping experience that assists them in making the decision, brands have a stronger chance of making the sale. On your gift guide, segment products by gender, price point, sense of style, and more. If there are specific products that a brand is looking to promote, be sure to include them on the gift guide, allowing the product to gain additional exposure.
Take advantage of this romantic holiday and invest your efforts into strategies that bring you closer to your consumers. We hope these ideas spark some inspiration for campaigns that your customers will love!