When most of us think about Valentine’s Day, our brains automatically go to hearts, pink and red, balloons, roses, and heart shaped boxes of chocolates. Then there are the group of people who dread the heart filled day; this group usually consists of singles and public relations professionals.

            As an outsider looking in, most people would think that Valentine’s Day would be a PR or marketers dream holiday, 4media group says no. 4media group is a global integrated communications and marketing company. People who are responsible for promoting this day just see it as “a single day crammed full of commercial opportunities, bursting at the seams with options for slick ads appealing to emotion and begging couples to spend money on one another.” It is hard to walk into any store and not be overwhelmed by the amount of pink, hearts, and stuffed animals.

            Public relations professionals at 4media group have gathered a few tips to remember when it comes to V-Day.

  1. Remember that Valentine’s Day is not only the 14th of February. Almost every holiday had a lead up to the special day and can be seen being promoted weeks before. Valentine’s Day promos and marketing can be seen as early as New Years Day. Although all major holidays happen on the same day every year and do not change, getting your content out early is essential to try and beat the rush of everyone else.
  2. As I said before, we all have the stereotypes that we all automatically think about when talking about Valentine’s Day. It can be hard to think of a campaign idea that has not been done before. Most campaigns focus on people falling into a deep love, heart-shaped jewelry, and huge bouquets of roses. For many people, this isn’t the version of Valentine’s Day that they experience. People may be single, might live across the country from their partner and not see them on V-Day, or may not have the money to spend on Valentine’s Day. Public relations professionals need to focus on that. When thinking about a potential campaign, try and make it actually be relatable for people!
  3. Like #2 said, many people just simply aren’t in love! For these people, Valentine’s Day can be a dreaded day that they can’t seem to escape. The last thing we want to do is alienate those people. PR professionals need to make a point to really sell the alternatives for these people; ‘Galentine’s Day’ or ‘Singles Awareness Day.’
  4. And lastly, really think…does Valentine’s Day work with my brand? There are some brands that make sense to focus on Valentine’s Day and others that do not. The ones that do, run with it and put out that V-Day campaign. But before you do that, really think if it makes sense for you.

Although there is a lot of negative talk surrounding the love filled day, it can be a great opportunity for public relations professionals in the world.