Win Over Customer’s Hearts with These Anti-Valentine’s Day Ideas
Looking to marketing to a crowd that’s Anti-Valentine’s Day? Here are 13 anti-valentine’s day marketing campaigns to clip cupid’s wings.
February brings with it a slew of hearts, pinks, cupids, and bouquets. Cheesy ads with these cliches can appeal to people who’ll be cuddling their special someone on Hearts Day. But what do you do if your customers hate Valentine’s Day and they want nothing more than to escape the mush overload?
In this article, we’ll discuss why it’s essential to market to people who refer to February 14 as “Single Awareness Day.” We’ll also look at smart ways to market to this segment and companies that do a great job in doing so.
Why You Should Also Market to People Who Hate Valentines
The feast of Saint Valentine was initially meant to celebrate all kinds of love, including familial and platonic. Over the years, however, the holiday has become synonymous with romantic love.
Hearts day can be a fun day for couples who go on wine dates with flowers, chocolates, gifts, and the whole shebang. On the other hand, it can be a bummer for people who aren’t in a relationship. After all, non-daters don’t need a national holiday to remind them of their being single!
On a day when they can’t even get a decent meal without being surrounded by lovey-dovey couples, targeting non-daters is a genius idea. By angling your ad to appeal those who are anti-valentine’s day, you’re letting them know that they’re not neglected on the 14th.
13 Ways to Appeal to Customers Who Are Anti Valentine’s Day
Here are 13 ways to angle your marketing campaign to appeal to anti-valentine’s day crowd.
1. Anti-Valentines Day Party
Nothing spells ‘I hate Valentine’s Day” more than an anti-Valentines party. For example, this bar in Hollywood organized a fete that welcomes anyone who’s not in love. They decorated their space with un-romantic decor and had male and female piñatas for people to swing at.
2. Celebrate Freedom
If you’re maintaining a wholesome branding and a bitter campaign might hurt your image, consider a different marketing approach instead. Focus your message on celebrating one’s freedom and not having to please anyone else on Hearts Day.
3. Single Awareness Day Campaign
Celebrate singlehood by launching a fun Single Awareness Campaign. In 2018, Tinder dating app launched its Single, Not Sorry campaign. They released eye-catching images featuring clever one-liners like, “Single does what Single wants” and “Single never has to go home early.”
4. Ads Featuring Singles
Make the most of advertising art by featuring prominent endorsers who are happily single. The campaign can be a source of inspiration to people who aren’t in a relationship. Similarly, you might also want to feature quotes about being single from historical personalities.
5. Use Anti-Valentine’s Day Humor
Humor is always a great way to lighten things up when you’re alone, especially during a holiday that rubs it in your face. To channel humor, post-Valentine memes on social media and treat your followers to a good laugh.
6. Self-Love Activities
It’s hard to love someone else if you don’t love yourself first. Foster self-love by launching a wellness event like a spa day or a yoga session. Similarly, you can also consider holding self-improvement classes or nature retreats. Focus on activities that will help non-daters value themselves more and not succumb to the pressure to be with someone.
7. Social Media Contest
If you’re aiming for a social media marketing campaign that fosters engagement, try launching a contest. For example, you can ask your Twitter followers to tweet their top 3 reasons to hate Valentine’s Day. Choose the best answers and give them a prize for participating. This is a great way to widen your brand’s reach through word of mouth marketing.
8. Discount Regardless of Status
Typical V-day promos usually include “meal for two specials” or “date night bundles.” Consequently, you can stand out from the crowd, by offering a discount for everyone regardless of whether they have a plus one or not. Last year, for example, Coffee Bean offered a discount on any regular or larger-sized drink for all customers.
9. Anti-Love Song Concert
Couples may enjoy being serenaded by a string quartet playing an Elton John or Celine Dion love song. But singles might cringe rather than swoon. To counter the onslaught of mushy ballads on V-Day, go the other way and organize an anti-love song concert. You can also make it more fun and interactive by turning it into an anti-love song sing-along!
10. Make Fun of Cliches
The pink hearts, fluffy teddy bears, and heart-shaped chocolate boxes all resemble Valentine cliches. Inject a bit of humor into your ad or social media post by making a satire of these images or finding a witty way to deconstruct them.
11. Shred Your Ex
Take inspiration from this Hollywood bar’s previous “Shred Your Ex” campaign. Anyone who tears a picture of their ex in front of the bartender gets a free shot!
12. Anti-Valentine’s Day Charity Event
Appeal to people who have a lot to give despite their status by hosting a charity event. Choose a cause that’s in line with your business to hit two birds with one stone.
13. Taking Advantage of Couple Friends
If you own a food and beverage business, offer a “third-wheel freebie.” For every customer couple dining in a restaurant, for example, their single friend can eat for free. This will allow singles to celebrate being friends with a couple rather than resenting them.
How Graphic Design Can Help (or Hurt)
If you’re marketing to singles on Valentine’s Day, graphic design can help or potentially hurt your campaign. It’s crucial to work well with your designer and copywriter to create vector drawings and other graphics that clearly reflect your message. Your campaign should empower non-daters but shouldn’t offend those who are in love.
