1: Leaning into Gen Z’s Love Lingo

With Valentine’s Day having high appeal with young audiences (79% of British Gen Z celebrate the day, a figure that exponentially decreases with older demographics), several brands have leant into sassy social media parlance – from ‘green flags’ for traits which signal romantic potential, to snarkier vernacular like ‘pocketing’ (keeping a relationship under wraps).

2: Responsible Romance: Celebrating More Sustainability

Other campaigns trade on unease with excessive wastefulness, even for celebrations associated with decadence – 59% of Americans say “irresponsible spending is a bigger turn-off than bad breath” (WalletHub, 2025). Here, Valentine’s storytelling spotlights unorthodox sustainability storytelling.

3: ‘Micromance’: Small Gestures, Average Joes & Everyday Aphrodisiacs

US dating app Bumble’s 2025 global dating trends survey reveals 86% of singletons believe “smaller behaviours like sending memes, a playlist, or sharing inside jokes” are key expressions of romantic love. The sentiment is reflected in campaigns, luxury and mainstream, that insert romance into domesticity, champion intimacy over grand once-a-year gestures, and help average Joes atone for gifting mishaps.

4: Catalysing (IRL) Cultural Connections

Conceived in part to counter the symptoms of a social recession (40% of people globally now interact more with one another through devices than IRL – Deloitte, 2023), some brands launched physical Valentine’s brand experiences with a creative/cultural bent, from workshops to alternative immersive theatre.   

5: Catering to the Commitment Comeback

Countering 2024’s exploration of non-committal ‘situationships’, two astute brands have focused on the substantial rise in the desire to couple up (Bumble’s 2025 global dating trends survey reveals 72% of young singletons are seeking a long-term partner in the next year). From facilitating marriage licences and moving vans, to matchmaking travelling companions, there are myriad opportunities.

6: Calendar Moment Catnip for Fandoms

A less-frequently tapped campaign focus with rising value for Valentine’s Day is fandoms, considering 49% of Gen Z singles worldwide believe “geeking out on something together” is a form of intimacy (Bumble, 2025).

7: Style Guru Seniors & The Age Appropriateness Shift

While young people dominate Valentine’s spending, new attitudes towards age appropriateness (see section #3: Age Blending in our Look Ahead 2025 Trend Overview) sees a rise in content with a cross-generational bent.

8: Switch into Single Mode (UX)

While commitment culture (see section #5 is the big Valentine’s brand story, there’s also an opportunity to cater to those who remain proudly single or are hedging their bets, such as with a canny mode-switching interface.

9: Good Valentine’s Vibrations: Audio Amour

Other brands are providing Valentine’s Day playlists as an extension of their creative ethos, with extra interest derived from where the lists are unlocked (website, packaging). They tap into the swelling value of audio strategies – globally, 33% of adults below age 35 favour brands with a sonic identity (DLMDD & YouGov, 2023).