Depending on the generation, the moment has its spiritual shades swinging between tender hugging and flat rejection. Offline and online media are being mobilized to mark the moment. Tourist offers in "romantic places", recommendations for "romantic dinners" or gifts, obviously romantic, lead your steps or click. Everything is romantic to this day and only now. On Valentine’s Day, one can love and live love intensely. It's a super-offer that we all must catch today. Tomorrow we shall come back in the house slippers and dress in the dressing gown and the romance fade goes out.
Rituals based on consumption
Each period of the year has its feasts and rituals. These are milestones in community life. They are the social glue that brings people together around values and symbols. However, their disenchantment occurs just when they receive the commercial overdose and lose their authenticity. On Valentine's Day, a mini-ideology of love is born that publicly proclaims and ostensibly lives through consumption. The ceremony of whispers and discreet gestures is dislodged by the playlist of the clubs and animators disguised in Cupid.
Budgets for love
According to the National Retail Federation Report, in the United States, it is estimated for 2018 that 55% of people celebrate Valentine’s Day and spend an average of $143 compared to $136 in 2017. The figures included in the report forecast that the total amount spent on this occasion will amount to $19.6bn, the second highest value after $19.7bn spent in 2016. The youngsters between 25-34 years are the biggest spenders, with an average of $202. This is the sign that love gets more intense when you spend more.
Last year in Romania, Valentine's Day was a travel occasion for many Romanians. The number of queries increased by 40% and the price per stay was between €100 and €300 according to Trip Advisor. Year on year there is a diversification of the client type, whilst the online orders and reservations have a growing share in the total.
Gifts are bought online
Shopping starts a week earlier, as is the case with many online stores, with the top of shopping peak being the 11 February for those who celebrate Valentine's Day and with another peak on 20 February for those who celebrate the local version of Saint Valentine, Dragobete.
Based on the track record of the past years, cosmetics, flowers, jewelry, watches, lingerie are best sold. Even if it does not compare to Christmas or Easter, Valentine's Day has a significant impact on sales volume. Usually, men receive IT&C products, while women receive flowers, cosmetics, and jewelry.
Comparable to Black Friday in terms of volume of the products purchased, Valentine's Day is differentiated by purchasing motivation. More obvious than ever, love is cutely wrapped in the gift you offer. It is an opportunity for contextual marketing, special offers for everyone, and asserts the extrovert feature of love. It's love with the schedule correlated with that of the shopping malls.
