How Valentine’s Day and Public Relations Built a Relationship
Around Valentine’s Day, companies make money from flowers, cards, jewelry, candy, you name it. However, it is not just about selling products. Companies have found a way to advertise this holiday in a way that connects with more than the love birds looking for gifts, those struggling with a recent breakup, single women celebrating their friendships (ever heard of Galentine’s?), the list goes on. As always, advertising and public relations professionals have found a way to succeed during the holiday season. Let’s look at a list of PR's hand in the relationship with the heartfelt celebration we call Valentine’s Day.
Brand examples that I love!
Are you single this Valentine’s Day or just not a fan? Companies have discovered a way to still include you!
For your friends/galentines:
1-800- Flowers isn’t suggesting you send flowers to a significant other – send them to your best friend to show your appreciation for friendship
For your ex:
Hotel.com is on your side during this romantic season.
Sourced from PR Newswire
If you feel like sending your ex to the dumpster might be too harsh, you could always name a cockroach after them and feed zoo animals!
Now that you’ve seen how brands have used Valentine’s Day to promote themselves, let’s dive in deeper into how public relations professionals use Valentine’s Day to their advantage and how they can create a strong bond with their audience.
Crafting Compelling Narratives
Public relations is all about evoking emotion and building a relationship between a brand and a customer, so what better day is there for PR? Valentine’s Day allows brands to create a compelling narrative to evoke emotion in their customers. By creating narratives that align with the brand’s values and connect with the audience on a personal level, PR sets the stage for a memorable Valentine’s Day campaign.
Building Brand Love
By building a lovely brand persona through storytelling and engaging content, consumers begin to build a relationship with a brand. Having a strong and positive relationship helps brands gain a loyal and large audience. Expressing gratitude and appreciation to sweet customers through a heartfelt message can help create a lasting bond between the brand and the consumer, which is the goal of a successful public relations campaign.
Strategic Influencer Partnerships
It’s no secret that influencer marketing has changed how brands advertise. Partnering with influencers leads to amplifying brand awareness and message and can reach the perfect target audience. Collaborating with influencers with values and morals that align closely with the brand and can authentically talk about how the brand fits into their own life sounds like a perfect match to me in the PR world! Through partnerships and collaborations with influencers, these social media pros can help leverage Valentine’s Day campaigns for one’s brand.
Leveraging Social Media
To create meaningful connections with devoted customers, PR professionals, and brands engage with their followers on social media. Responding to comments, direct messages, and user-generated content can show a brand's genuine affection and appreciation for its audience. Creating more customizable and personable content helps the customer feel special and interested, not only on Valentine’s Day but every day.
CSR initiatives
Not only does Valentine’s Day give PR professionals a reason to showcase a brand’s love for their consumers, but it also allows PR professionals to show their commitment to social responsibility. Organizations can initiate CSR by emphasizing their desire for environmental initiatives, charities, and non-profits they support. A consumer may find it attractive if a brand displays how they infuse philanthropy by supporting special causes, for example, donating a percentage of their transaction to an organization supporting the shopper’s interest.
Host Experience
Planned events (aka dates) that align with a brand’s identity and value are a great way for a brand to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Events can be virtual, in-person workshops, or other unique experiences. Examples include:
A pizza restaurant hosting a Valentine’s Day-themed trivia night and heart-shaped pizzas
Movie theater playing a romantic movie – (pssst.. The Notebook & bonus points if it’s a drive-in)
Craft store hosting a Valentine’s Day craft
Now that you know how PR pros use Valentine’s Day to build relationships with their audience, you should try to implement these tricks today, and any other day, at your job or internship!
About Abby
Abby is a junior studying advertising and public relations with a writing minor. She is from Darien Illinois and plans to return home after college to work in social media for the sports or entertainment industry. Abby is involved with PRSSA in many ways. She holds the title of account associate with an emphasis in design for GrandPR, is the current social media director, and has served on the promotions committee both as a member and as the chair of the committee. Abby is also the community relations intern at Lake Michigan Credit Union.
