Is Valentine’s Day nothing more than a marketing scheme?

Valentine is here again and there are two different categories of people who look forward to the day set aside for love. On one hand are business owners or companies who are either cashing out or gearing up for profitable sales. The annual occasion is also a time where lovers, friends and loved ones share gifts to express how they feel about one another.However, are vendors the biggest beneficiaries during this celebration?

The facts

Valentine’s Day can be traced back to the  Roman festival known as Lupercalia which consisted of a rather brutal matchmaking customs. Saint Valentine was put to death on February 14, 278 AD, which is the day of the celebration. On February 14, the anniversary of his execution, two centuries later, Pope Gelasius commanded that Saint Valentine’s Day take the place of the Lupercalia feast.

As empires grew and collapsed, civilizations interacted and idealized Valentine’s Day, which eventually made its way across Europe on the cultural train thanks to the work of 16th-century playwrights. The holiday of love traveled to the United States with European immigration.

By the 19th century, European-American immigrants commemorated Saint Valentine’s Day by giving and receiving tiny gifts with their loved ones, like letters and messages of affection.

That’s when the American greeting card industry saw a surge in popularity for Valentine’s Day thanks to artist and businesswoman Esther Howland. The first marketer to take advantage of the holiday was known as the “Mother of the American Valentine”. By strategically commercializing “tokens of appreciation,” she recognized an opportunity and created cards out of them.

Although giving special gifts to those we love is not a novel idea, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a shopping holiday over the years, with more emphasis placed on making purchases than on expressing love.

The arguments

The hype surrounding the special day set aside for the month of love have come to be well appreciated. Loved ones eagerly await the annual celebrations that come with the exchange of gifts. The bearing of gifts has evolved over time with some people moving from small gifts to bigger ones.

With the rise of “spoilt for choice” packages, marketers have been more visible on social media as a result of their adoption of new media. On timelines, a number of hashtags, such #couplegoals, are frequently used as themes for various products. Those in relationships feel the need to impress their partners like splurging on a bunch of expensive roses, for that matter.

Like every holiday, companies start promotional packages such as running discount sales, and advertise a package full of ‘goodies’ days before the main event to entice customers.

Those interested in making their lovers feel good find it convenient because there are wide ranges of options to choose from. Be it flowers, jewelleries, chocolates, clothes, at other sometimes an all-expense paid trips.

It is estimated that a whopping $25.8 billion will be spent on Valentine’s Day for 2024 with $185.81 per person celebrating.

The pressure intensifies for individuals unable to afford the extravagant hype surrounding Valentine’s Day, fostering feelings of inadequacy and anxiety about their ability to express love within societal expectations.

Individuals not in romantic relationships as they navigate societal expectations and cultural norms surrounding Valentine’s Day, can feel excluded or overlooked in a celebration centered on romantic love.

Critics say Valentine’s Day is a marketing gimmick where society wants to buy stuff to be happy or make others happy. Many claim it’s like an unspoken rule where individuals are pressured to buy gifts for their special people.

Social media amplifies the hype surrounding Valentine’s Day, inundating users with images of extravagant gestures and lavish gifts, intensifying feelings of comparison and inadequacy.

The only ones who seem to substantially benefit from Valentine’s Day are the companies who manufacture cards, chocolates and other gifts.

Some believe there are other non-expensive ways to express love and appreciation of loved ones on Val’s Day. It could be a homemade meal, DIY craft, a picnic, spending quality time, handwritten love letter or just Netflix and chill without having to break the bank.