The Feast of Saint Valentine, celebrated every year on February 14, has since the Middle Ages been associated with romantic love. It has evolved into a day on which lovers express their feelings for each other. In the 18th century, handwritten greeting cards known as “valentines” began to be used in England. In 1891, an Indian prince set the gold standard for this happy practice when he sent his beloved in London a valentine’s card set in carved ivory and encrusted with diamonds, at an estimated current cost of ₹2.5 crore.

In the modern age, of course, you don’t have to fret about measuring up to the prince and his custom-designed token of love, what with marketers and brands readily offering a helping hand.

In India, there are mass-produced greeting cards from Archies and Hallmark, as well as special collections from jewellery brands such as Gili and Tanishq. Luxury houses such as LVMH have in the past claimed that over 10 per cent of their annual sales in India comes during the Valentine period. Brands as diverse as Christian Dior, Hugo Boss, Swarovski, Fastrack and Apple typically advertise Valentine’s offerings.

All this has made Valentine’s Day a big shopping day across the world, and increasingly in India too. At many departmental stores in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, sales today are likely to surpass those on Diwali day — an indication of the rapidly changing habits of Indian consumers.

So what will many of us gift our valentines today? Popular brands of mobile phones have been urging us to gift their latest feature-loaded models. Diamonds and jewellery are always high on the list, if the wallet can afford them. Wristwatches and fashionable handbags tend to be popular choices. And, of course, roses and greeting cards remain favourites for expressing romantic love on this special day.

However, most brands continue to view Valentine’s Day through a very narrow lens — that of a young man gifting to a young woman he is in love with.

Ask any marketer his or her target demographic during the Valentine period, and the answer most likely will be male, 18 to 30 years. In my view, this is very limiting.

Marketers certainly need to work with a broader consumer canvas, and be far more imaginative. The core idea of this festival is “romantic love”, which is a universal emotion. It can, therefore, easily extend to several demographic and psychographic segments of the Indian population. Let us consider a few.

Middle-aged love again Consider a couple married for thirty years, in a stable relationship, and in their late fifties. Valentine’s Day is an excellent festival for them to reaffirm their love for each other.

Romantic love can be as vibrant in middle-age and old-age as it is in one’s youth. Indeed, the yearning to rekindle romance may be stronger at this advanced age. For marketers, this is a segment that will likely grow rapidly in the next few years, as today’s young India begins ageing.

In addition, men and women in this age group tend to be immensely wealthier than teenyboppers or first-jobbers. Hence their ability to buy expensive gifts — diamond solitaires, a car, or even an apartment — for their loved ones on this special day is far greater. We must also bear in mind that love is the strongest emotion that both binds and blinds humans, hence the willingness to spend on expensive gifts may be far greater if triggered by an appropriate and strong marketing pitch. Should automobile and real estate brands not sit up, take note of this big opportunity, and begin Valentine’s Day marketing aimed at middle-aged affluent adults?

Gifting your man With the increasing number of young, confident Indian women in the workforce today, pursuing excellent careers and possessing tremendous purchasing power, marketers need to actively speak to women who wish to gift to the men they are in love with. This would also mean that brands have to specifically position “male products” — such as cufflinks and sophisticated shaving systems, single malts and motorbike accessories — as Valentine gifts.

Long-distance gifting In today’s globalised life, many people are in love across continents, cities and considerable distance.

As the popular saying goes, distance makes the heart grow fonder, so there is a high probability that marketers can convince these men and women to send valuable gifts to their significant long-distance other. Marketers have a unique opportunity here, in enabling consumers to send across their Valentine gifts and surprises securely and with ease. This perhaps already happens in some western countries, but I have not yet come across a major brand of Indian jewellery or chocolates or apparel that actively markets such easy-to-use, long-distance gifting services around the theme of Valentine’s Day.

Rainbow valentines LGBT India has been more in the news in recent weeks, particularly after the Supreme Court judgement recriminalising homosexuality. Newspapers report that an estimated 10-13 per cent of the Indian population may be gay or lesbian, which is considerable indeed.

Based on a good understanding of gay psychographics and needs, marketers can create specific brands and Valentine’s offerings for this segment of consumers. From aptly worded gay valentine greeting cards to apparel of choice, the possibilities are endless.

Time-starved romantic The hectic pace and pressures of modern life leave many lovers with little time for each other. This is especially relevant to urban India, and particularly large metropolitan jungles. How can marketers create and offer the invaluable gift of romantic together-time for this well-heeled segment? Can a well-packaged Valentine’s Day couple’s treat at a spa, or a cosy dinner-wine-and-room package at a nice hotel where digital devices don’t work, or a movie-and-limousine experience for the evening captivate these consumers?

I think yes, particularly if brands are able to powerfully, and interestingly, leverage the insight that time-starved people in love greatly desire private time and space with each other, particularly on a day dedicated to romantic love.

Let me end this column by wishing all marketers and retailers a superb, record-breaking Valentine sale today. And by reiterating that we must open our minds to the multiple possibilities that this festival (and indeed, similar festivals) can offer us if we make the effort to stretch our imagination.

In the meanwhile, to the special person you love and to you, a Happy Valentine’s Day!

The author is MD & CEO, Tata Global Beverages

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