Yes, yes, Valentine’s Day is a pile of overhyped nonsense. Your florist triples the prices on his practically dead roses, you can’t book a table even at the 2* hygiene rated local Indian on the corner, and every supermarket is shoving heart-shaped everything in your face like love is a marketing gimmick (spoiler: it is).
But whether you love it or loathe it, February 14th has given us some of the most brilliant, bizarre, and downright hilarious PR stunts over the years.
So, in the spirit of overpriced chocolates and awkward first dates, our MD Ellen Widdup offers up some of her favourites ahead of the big day.
When you think of fine dining, you probably don’t think of sausage rolls and steak bakes, but Greggs have gastro a run for its money in 2018 and partnered with OpenTable to offer a four-course candlelit meal… inside an actual Greggs shop.
It got massive media coverage and social buzz and, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to say they had a steak bake by candlelight?
Final verdict: 8/10 – Love a pastry-based romantic gesture but they could have thrown in free engagement ring-shaped donut to get them full marks!
Ikea took a bold approach to Valentine’s marketing in 2018 by offering a free crib to parents who could prove they conceived on Valentine’s Day. The idea? If you could show proof of birth exactly nine months later, you’d get a brand-new cot for free.
Cheeky but clever, this tapped into the well-known “Valentine’s babies” phenomenon and got huge press coverage for its originality.
Final verdict: 7/10 – I wish they had thrown in some ‘flat-pack parenting’ essentials like baby’s first Allen key and an “IKEA Baby Name Generator” to go with it (Billy? Malm? Smörgåsbord?).
Valentine’s isn’t just about happily-ever-afters – breakups deserve a marketing moment too. In 2020, Burger King launched a “Breakup Box” in the US, where customers could exchange a photo of their ex for a free Whopper.
This acknowledged the huge anti-Valentine’s audience—because not everyone is feeling the love on February 14th and encouraged audience participation.
Final Verdict: 9/10 – Strong concept but could have turned up the heat on the revenge factor and offered an option to literally flame-grill the photo of your ex before handing over the burger.
In 2021, Deliveroo ran a limited-time Valentine’s Day menu inspired by classic exes featuring dishes like “The Ghoster” (a dish that disappears before you get a bite) and “The Cheesy One”.
This was funny, relatable, and meme-worthy—exactly the kind of campaign that gets shared.
I can’t help wishing they had gone further with a full ‘Toxic Relationship Tasting Menu’-maybe a “Breadcrumbing Basket” (for the ones who keep leading you on) or “The Love-Bomber Platter” (too much, too soon, then gone in a flash).
Also, imagine if they had surprise “mystery meal” orders where you think you’re getting one thing, but it turns out to be something completely different – just like dating.
Final Verdict: 5/10 – could have but could have taken the breakup theme to Michelin-starred levels of pettiness.
Who needs a Valentine when you could have a furry best friend? Tinder partnered with animal shelters to encourage users to “swipe right” on adoptable pets looking for a forever home.
This campaign connected dating culture with a bigger cause—helping animals in need, creating a feel-good narrative that got press coverage beyond just Valentine’s Day.
Final Verdict: 6/10 – they could have added a ‘Perfect Match’ feature, pairing pets with owners based on personality traits—because let’s be honest, a loyal Labrador is way more reliable than most Tinder dates.
In 2021, Tesco poked fun at extravagant proposals by offering engagement biscuits – iced rings in place of diamond rings. The idea? You could propose with a biscuit and see if your partner was “in it for the snacks or the sparkle.”
It was playful and humorous, tapping into the pressure of Valentine’s Day proposals.
Final Verdict: 6/10 – this had SO much potential. They should have gone all-in with a full Tesco Value Wedding package! Think a meal deal for the reception, a wedding cake from the bakery aisle, and ‘Just Said Yes’ Clubcard points.
Romance is in the ready meals, folks. In 2019, Sainsbury’s turned the supermarket into a dating hotspot, encouraging singles to find love in the aisles. The idea was simple – customers looking for a date could attach an orange tote bag to their trolley, signalling that they were “single and ready to mingle.”
This one got tons of press coverage because it was funny, relatable, and easy to visualise.
Final Verdict: 8/10 – Fun concept, but they could have made it even juicier with more matchmaking incentives. Imagine if they had a self-checkout flirting option, where customers could select “Bagging a Date? Yes, Please.” before scanning their items!
Oh, yes Subway! These guys decided that roses were overrated in 2020 and offered Valentine’s Day bouquets made out of sandwiches. Yes, a bouquet of subs instead of flowers.
This was hilarious, unexpected, and totally Instagrammable, generating huge social buzz, with people joking that “love is fleeting, but a footlong is forever.”
I tend to agree.
Final Verdict: 10/10 – No notes. A romantic gesture you can actually eat? Perfection
Whether it’s romance, humour, or heartbreak, Valentine’s Day offers brands a huge chance to connect with customers in a memorable way.
If your brand isn’t harnessing the power of love (or breakups) in your marketing strategy, maybe it’s time to start swiping right on some creative ideas.
Need help crafting a standout Valentine’s campaign? Let’s talk – because great PR is better than any box of chocolates.
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