We were originally going to talk about our Love Etc Valentine’s activity for Body Shop today but some interesting statistics caught our attention and got us thinking…
This morning, Marketing Magazine published the spending figures for Valentine’s Day 2011. It seems that by the end of the day the British public will have spent an estimated £334.3m on gifts for their loved ones!
It says a lot to us that a day based entirely on people’s feelings and emotions can generate such huge sales – it shows people love to spend money on the people they love.
We want to believe in love at first sight but being realists, we know these things have to be worked at and it is the same for a brand or product. You may have a great, unique product that goes a long way towards selling itself but this is rare. In today’s cluttered marketplace, brands are being made to work harder and harder for their consumers’ affections.
The power of a deep emotional connection is clear in the figures above and is reflected in the rise in popularity of experiential marketing by brands.
One complaint we do have with Valentine’s Day is that everything is predictable. We would argue that giving someone a gift on a day when it is expected lessens its impact. Giving a romantic gift at a time when your partner is not expecting it would have far more impact, live long in their memory, and they would tell all their friends about what a wonderful, thoughtful partner you were!
Doing something unexpected and remarkable adds value to people’s day and makes them feel loved. We see marketing the same way. Giving a consumer a great experience when they least expect it will break through the clutter, help you create a strong emotional connection that will endear them to your brand and generate talkability. Good news travels fast before you know it people will be spreading the love about your brand!
Happy Valentine’s day everyone.