Couples to singles, brands are catering to every heart on Valentine's Day

Cadbury adds a time-travel twist and Blinkit app comes up with an inclusive, dual mode

As the season of love approaches, brands and influencers are taking a unique approach to Valentine's Day, targeting both couples and singles. A lighthearted twist to the traditional celebration has emerged, offering solace to those seeking a different perspective on the day of romance.

Matter of all hearts

> Cadbury 5 Star's advertising campaign proposes the idea of “erasing Valentine’s Day” from the calendar

> Blinkit has introduced a "Singles mode" on its app interface

> Eloelo, a social-media app, has collaborated with YouTuber Abhishek Malhan and filed a nationwide petition on Change.org to rename Valentine’s Day as #KunwaraDiwas

Cadbury 5 Star's advertising campaign, crafted by Ogilvy, proposes the idea of "erasing Valentine's Day" from the calendar. This concept diverges from the conventional love-themed narratives often associated with the day, and is in stark contrast to Cadbury's other brands, such as Dairy Milk Silk, which are continuing to go all out on romance. 

The 5 Star campaign features a "time-travel device" designed to cross the international date line to eliminate the day of love altogether. The international date line, which came about in 1884, is a globally accepted demarcation of the surface of the Earth between the South and North Poles. It serves as the boundary between one calendar day and the next.

On February 14, three volunteers will embark on a mission aboard a ship named "F.N.S. Cringe Vinash" to fast-forward timelines and erase Valentine's Day. The aim is to sail to the other side of the international date line at a precise time so that the three volunteers end up skipping Valentine’s Day.

The event, to be pulled off with scientific input from aerospace scientist Nambi Narayanan, will be live-streamed globally.

Mondelez India, which owns Cadbury 5 Star and Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, said the contrasting campaigns for the two chocolate brands were well thought out.

“The marketing strategies for Cadbury Silk and Cadbury 5 Star are strategically aligned with each brand's unique proposition and target audience,” Nitin Saini, vice president – Marketing, Mondelez India, said in response to emailed queries from Business Standard. “ While Silk focuses on celebrating love and fostering romantic connections, 5 Star caters to individuals seeking an alternative Valentine's Day experience.” It is aimed at singles who seek to escape the traditional romanticism associated with Valentine's Day.

“Every brand has the right to follow its own path. Silk could be going ‘love, love, love, and 5 Star could be going ‘no love, no love, no love,’ which is fine,” says Sandeep Goyal, managing director, Rediffusion. “Just the fact that they belong to the same stable does not mean they have to sing from the same hymn sheet.” 

Cadbury 5 Star isn't the only brand embracing an erase Valentine's Day stance. Eloelo, a Mumbai-based live social-media app, has collaborated with YouTuber Abhishek Malhan aka Fukra Insaan and filed a nationwide petition on Change.org to rename Valentine’s Day as #KunwaraDiwas. 

The campaign, says Eloelo Founder and CEO Saurabh Pandey, is on behalf of the singles who “have been asking for their own day and celebration amidst all the hullabaloo around couples on Valentine’s Day”.

For those navigating Valentine's Day solo, Zomato-owned rapid grocery delivery app Blinkit has introduced a "Singles mode" on its app interface. When this mode is turned on, options such as “party with one”, “self-care”, “binge and chill”, and “cook for one” pop up. But turn the singles toggle off and the screen turns pink, red and mushy. The options that show up now are strikingly opposite and targeted at those in a relationship.

These innovative campaigns reflect a cultural shift in Valentine's Day celebrations, emphasising inclusivity and sensitivity. However, opinions on their effectiveness vary.

Goyal suggests that while the Cadbury 5 Star ad may appeal to advertising professionals for its creativity, it may come across as gimmicky to the average consumer, potentially missing its mark.

“From a promotional point of view, the ad is too cerebral and complicated,” he says. “An ordinary customer going to the kirana store to buy a 5 Star will not know what the ad means,” he says, referring to the use of complicated concepts like international date line. “What wins you good media coverage isn’t necessarily good advertising.”