Valentine’s Day 2021: Trends you can still tap into

Party like it’s 2021

In a world with social distancing, there are still ways to party and stay safe.

How? Through virtual applications designed for social engagements that make you feel like a character in a video game.

With so many tired of Zoom or Skype calls, these virtual applications, and the experience they enable, should be a trend in 2021.

So dust off your Second Life avatar and check out Gather or High Fidelity for a virtual Valentine’s Day party which feels like a real party. Depending on the application you select, you can customize the space and background. Party participants can play games, stream content, and do all of the other things they’d want to do at a party. Because these applications are designed for social engagements, people can move around their avatars and start a conversation with anyone, just like they’d do at a party in the physical world.

Beyond February 14^th, these applications are also great for marketers looking for a different way to engage with key customers and partners.

Omnichannel it

Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without chocolate and flowers.

But the ways to purchase and send chocolate and/or flowers grew exponentially in 2021, thanks to omnichannel marketing. Now, you can buy chocolate and flowers, even from local stores, in-store, and via phone, app, website, or email. Then pick them up in-store or have them delivered… anywhere.

Marketers already relied on omnichannel marketing for the Q4 holiday season. Be sure to remind your customers that they can use the same omnichannel marketing options this Valentine’s Day. Omnichannel marketing is the trend that took off last year and is here to stay.

Doing dinner differently

The romantic dinner for two has been a Valentine’s Day tradition for years.

But with social distancing and restaurants closed or offering limited seating, the romantic dinner for two will pivot for Valentine’s Day 2021.

And this change is creating a marketing opportunity in 2021.

Couples are still looking forward to a romantic dinner for two, and marketers can help them make it happen by:

1. Sponsoring meal delivery services like Martha & Marley Spoon or Hello Fresh, which will send pre-portioned ingredients in a range of cuisines and dietary requirements to create the perfect romantic dinner for any couple
2. Creating or marketing online cooking classes and other cooking content around your brand (or product offering, if relevant)
3. Partnering with food delivery services to sponsor Valentine’s Day deliveries to enable customers to recreate this holiday tradition in their own homes

In 2020, dinner habits changed as a result of the pandemic. According to research from YouGov, 38% of those surveyed in the UK say they are cooking more from scratch while 6% have ordered a box of vegetables or food from a local farm for the very first time.

Now, marketers have an opportunity to help their customers make some of these healthier changes – like more home-cooked meals – part of a new, healthier lifestyle starting with Valentine’s Day this year.

Gifting according to lifestyle

Beyond home cooking, consumers made a lot of other lifestyle changes in 2020.

Some discovered fitness classes via Zoom, Facebook and Instagram while others started knitting, gardening, or reading new authors/genres.

These changes will make lifestyle-specific gifting a trend this Valentine’s Day.

For marketers who understand their customer’s journeys, now is the opportunity to tap into the customer graph and offer Valentine’s Day suggestions inline with your customers’ new lifestyle-related choices. So take advantage of the holiday to show your customers some love by promoting items that fit their new lifestyle habits.

Make mine digital

One of the trends we highlighted during the holiday season which is still relevant for Valentine’s Day is the growth in digital gifting.

From subscriptions to video content like Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max / Go to Masterclass and Reese’s (Witherspoon) Book Club, these digital services are gifts that will make everyone’s partner happy, today and in the future.

Even if you haven’t finalized your Valentine’s Day promotion, you still have time to integrate digital subscriptions into your Valentine’s Day marketing. What are you waiting for?

And in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, let’s end with the most classic scene from the most classic rom-com of all times which can be streamed via HBO Max or rented on Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes, GooglePlay, and Vudu.

Looking for more marketing ideas for Valentine’s Day and beyond? Reach out to Creative Clicks for a campaign to exceed your metrics for any holiday.