Beyond chocolates and roses: How non-traditional brands can win Valentine’s Day

Every February, the same categories dominate Valentine’s Day advertising. Think: Flowers, jewelry and of course, chocolate.

And every year, their ads start to look the same.

Pink color palettes. Candlelit dinners. Sparkling gift exchanges. The same “show you care” messaging repeated across every channel.

For brands outside those traditional categories, that “sameness” is actually an opportunity. In some cases, the most memorable campaigns can come from brands you wouldn’t expect to show up at all. 

Let’s dive into what Valentine’s Day looks like today, how unexpected brands can make it work for them and how to decide whether it makes sense for your brand to show up.

Consumer behavior around Valentine’s has expanded well beyond couples and classic gifts.

Yes, people still buy flowers and jewelry, but they’re also spending on:

• Self-care and personal treats

• Meals and nights in with friends

• Last-minute convenience solutions

• Small indulgences for themselves

Today, the opportunity isn’t solely limited to “romantic” products. It’s about tapping into how people feel during the moment — whether that’s celebratory, social, stressed or simply looking to indulge.

The better question for brands today isn’t: “Do we sell something romantic now?” It’s: “Is there a behavior we can serve for this moment?”

Brands outside the main gifting categories often have three built-in advantages:

1. Less clutter. Jewelry and flower ads compete with dozens of nearly identical ones. But a delivery app deal can instantly look different.

2. More tonal freedom. You don’t have to be sentimental for a Valentine’s spot to work. You can be funny and self-aware.

3. Broader reach. Couples-only messaging limits reach. Friendship and self-care messaging includes almost everyone.

In other words, you don’t have to “out-romance” the romance brands. You just have to be distinctive in a way that works for your brand, as long as it’s the right fit.

Let’s take a deeper look into how unexpected brands can make this work for them. 

When you look at successful non-traditional campaigns, they tend to follow a few repeatable playbooks.

Here’s four of plays to consider:

1. The “Treat Yourself” play

Not every Valentine’s purchase is for someone else. Increasingly, it’s for you. This is where beauty, wellness, retail and even entertainment brands can thrive.

How it shows up:

• Limited-edition bundles

• “You deserve it” discounts

• Personal indulgence framing

Sephora for example regularly leans into self-gifting with curated skincare and fragrance sets positioned as “self-love” or “me time” purchases rather than partner gifts.

This also shows up in retail, with Lululemon promoting Valentine’s drops focused on personal wellness and confidence instead of only couple-based messaging. And even streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu often push “date night in” or solo binge messaging around February.

Why it works: Self-purchases are lower friction. There’s no pressure to pick the perfect gift — you’re buying something you already want!

2. The friendship & group experience play

As we said, Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples anymore. Galentine’s and group hangs are growing fast, and that opens the door for brands built around shared experiences.

How it shows up:

• Bundles and shareable offers

• Group discounts

• Social or event-driven messaging

For instance, OpenTable promotes Galentine’s reservations and “book for the table” messaging, focusing on friend groups rather than date nights. And quick-service restaurants (QSRs) like Chipotle and Taco Bell have gotten in on this too, running buy-one-get-one or shareable meal deals that naturally fit group plans.

Taking it a step further, Airbnb Experiences has also started highlighting classes, tastings and activities framed as things to do with friends.

Why it works: It expands the audience. One couple equals two people. A friend group might equal four to six (and a bigger basket). It also tends to generate more social sharing.

3. The last-minute save play

Every year, a huge segment of shoppers procrastinate. Brands that solve last-minute stress often win big in the final days leading up to February 14.

How it shows up:

• Same-day delivery

• Digital gifts

• Reminders and countdown messaging

• “We’ve got you covered” positioning

Amazon, for instance, heavily promotes same-day or next-day delivery for Valentine’s gifts, leaning into convenience. 

DoorDash also highlights last-minute flower delivery services (for men too!) or meal and dessert options for at-home celebrations. Similarly, Instacart runs “forgot something?” messaging for flowers, chocolate and wine that can be delivered in minutes. 

Why it works: When time pressure is high, fast solutions win. Being there to solve the problem and “save the day” is a great opportunity.

4. The humor or anti-romance play

When every brand is sentimental, humor becomes distinctive. That's why some brands intentionally zig the other way — embracing sarcasm or self indulgence.

How it shows up:

• Breakup jokes

• Singles-first messaging

• Comfort food or “skip the date” positioning

Domino’s, for example, has run Valentine’s promotions around “fancy a date with Domino’s?” and “ditch the fancy dinner, get pizza,” leaning into convenience and humor.

And dating apps like Bumble sometimes flip the script with friendship or self-focus messaging around February for a fresh, distinct take on how to use their services.

Why it works: Humor stands out in a feed full of hearts and pink-colored everything (and feels more shareable). It also includes people who feel excluded by traditional romance-heavy messaging.

Of course, not every brand needs to participate.

Consumers can spot a lazy tie-in instantly:

• Slapping hearts on packaging

• Generic “spread the love” copy

• Creative that looks nothing like your brand the rest of the year

If a Valentine’s Day play weakens your distinctive brand assets, you’re hurting your brand, not helping it. For instance, if people remember the holiday but not your brand, the campaign didn’t do its job. Or if people are left feeling confused after seeing your promotion, you’ve done more harm than good.

Before launching anything, ask yourself: 

• Is there a real behavior we can serve (not just a pun we can make)?

• Does this fit our natural tone and brand personality?

• Would this idea still make sense for our brand without hearts and Valentine’s copy?

If it does, research your idea with consumers. This will help to tell you whether you’re truly on the right track or if it isn’t the right fit for your brand. 

By testing with consumers from the start, you’ll not only save time and budget, but if there’s an opportunity there, you’ll be able to optimize it to its fullest potential — giving you the opportunity to truly stand out this holiday.