Brands look for love on Valentine's Day

On the day of the massive breakup between Amazon and New York City, other marketers are trying to remind consumers that Feb. 14 is actually all about love. Consumers are expected to shell out a record-breaking $20.7 billion on the heart-centric holiday this year, a 6 percent increase over 2018, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Below, Ad Age rounded up the most noteworthy messaging we've seen thus far: One Love, an advocacy group promoting healthy relationships, created a special-edition box of chocolates with flavors no one will recognize. The box contains eight confections created to spark conversations about positive and negative relationship experiences—four represent healthy relationship behaviors and four represent unhealthy. Tip: "Manipulation" is hard to swallow. Beer brand DB Export celebrates multitasking in a music video for its low carb beer. In the clip, created with Agency Colenso BBDO, a couple sings to each other that they "don't need two hands to hold you." The other hand, of course, is busy holding a beer. KFC decided to prank its French customers this year by telling them the chain was going to start selling a "beef bucket," which sparked outrage among gullible fans. But the brand, with Sid Lee, posted a video on Feb. 14 in which the Colonel confesses the announcement was a hoax. Spoiler: the meatball bucket then explodes. Unilever-owned toothpaste brand Closeup explores the romantic possibilities between two AI bots. The brand worked with MullenLowe Singapore. Sex toy company Lion's Den worked with Fancy to create a throwback-style spot of a woman luxuriating in a bubble bath--with a twist. Meanwhile, Merriam-Webster, known for its witty tweets, didn't miss an opportunity to weigh in. It does too count as breakfast today, thank you very much. https://t.co/RNfAX4a6zQ CVS and Target are already brand partners, but they really laid into the lovefest. 💞Hey @Target! We know you're in high demand, but we think we make a great pair. Will you be our valentine?👯♀️ #TargetBaeChallenge pic.twitter.com/EFkYdSJUH0 Some brands no one really associates with Cupid were lonely and wanted in on the action. Our Valentine's gift to you... get a FREE Perforated 11" x 16' roll with the purchase of the V110 kit! Visit https://t.co/ylUCDx856n pic.twitter.com/cX6W9VxNtX Roses are red, violets are blue, we appreciate you, so here's #giveaway number two! RT and tag a friend for another chance to win a gorgeous Crystal Vase. Happy #ValentinesDay to all of our followers. pic.twitter.com/UXFFIl1fod File this under something we never asked to see: the Mountain from Game of Thrones reading love poems for SodaStream. Some PSAs to round out the bunch: This #ValentinesDay, if you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately. If you are the victim of a #romancescam, file a complaint w/ the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://t.co/E4nYg3SYDj & contact your local FBI field office immediately. pic.twitter.com/dyHAH8OmJK Restaurants everywhere are offering decadent #ValentinesDay menus tonight. But before indulging in gooey lobster mac n' cheese and buttered steaks, consider how your #nutritionchoices affect your health long after date night. https://t.co/bAN4Y1HKOd pic.twitter.com/dMUXuMzPwg And on Feb. 15, New Yorkers who messed up the day before can dole out Creamy Snickers-infused flower bouquets to those they wronged in Snickers' #SmoothItOver campaign. Contributing: Adrianne Pasquarelli, I-Hsien Sherwood, Jessica Wohl

Brands look for love on Valentine's Day

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