Love it or loathe it, you certainly can’t get away from Valentine’s Day. Brands have come up with some cracking ways to celebrate the ‘special’ day and drive brand awareness. Here are four examples of campaigns that have caught my attention. Feel free to highlight your favourites (or highlight some stinkers…) in the comments.
IKEA Australia
Spotted on Google Plus, it just goes to show that even regional newspaper ads from the other side of the world can become social media hits. IKEA Australia is celebrating Valentine’s Day by allowing the owner of this newspaper coupon one free cot if their baby is born on 14th November.
I think IKEA are on to a good thing here, after all, not many people are going to think: “Oh, I’d like a free cot, let’s have sex on the 14th in order to get this smashing deal!” The odds are stacked in IKEA’s favour. It netted some good coverage, for not that much expense. (Plus, let’s face it, most people would lose the coupon in nine months anyway…)
Litter Genie
I had to include this. Dedicated to mad cat people everywhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLcMQ212eIKfKkcjDzo5hoXG-5JMq4_r6K&feature=player_embedded&v=vUK1B91o6ls
This joyously bizarre video was made to promote American cat lit sanitizer brand, Litter Genie. As I say over at PR Examples, the video is proving to be a social media hit (it now has more than 100,000 views).
Domino’s
What’s more romantic than proposing on Valentine’s Day? How about proposing via pizza? Domino’s UK gave customers the opportunity to collaborate with their local store on popping the question via peperoni.
Truly, what girl (or guy, it is the 21st century after all) could refuse…
Meanwhile, over in Japan, Domino’s spent the day selling a special heart shaped pizza. (Come on, pizza can to be romantic!)
O2
Mobile operator – and Twitter legend – O2, used the hashtag #O2tweetheart to stream follower’s messages to in store screens across the country during the week before Valentine’s Day. It then selected Tweeters at random to receive prizes ranging from a romantic weekend getaway to £50 Bonus Bond vouchers.
Honourable mention has to go to GÜ, for its year’s supply of desserts for two Twitter competition.
No, of course I’m not jealous…