Omnisend data shows many brands skipped Valentine’s campaigns in 2024 despite the holiday driving 20% of Q1 revenue. Will 2025 see a shift in strategy?
Research by ecommerce marketing platform company Omnisend found that only 23% of brands ran dedicated campaigns in the week running up to Valentine’s Day 2024. A further 9.3% sent a marketing campaign on Valentine’s Day itself. Marketing messages sent during the first two weeks of February resulted in more than one-fifth of all Q1 revenue for brands on Omnisend’s platform, meaning brands that skipped Valentine’s Day potentially missed a big revenue opportunity.
The trend of companies deciding to skip Valentine’s Day is an enduring one. Omnisend’s data shows that as far back as 2020, only 18% of businesses had messaging around Valentine’s Day.
“The National Retail Federation predicted this year’s Valentine’s Day to be record-breaking. However, many businesses still believe that if their products aren’t traditionally romantic, Valentine’s Day isn’t relevant to them,” says Greg Zakowicz, Sr. Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend.
“Our data shows the contrary, with major spending increases in categories like gaming, entertainment, self-care, and pet products. Valentine’s Day has slowly morphed from a ‘greeting card industry’ romantic holiday to a platonic and even self-love holiday celebrated by all. Nowadays, brands across various industries can tap into the holiday’s marketing potential to boost sales.”
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Those that make use of Valentine’s Day often start their marketing too late
Omnisend’s data shows that most orders were placed on February 9, 2024, in the week before Valentine’s Day. However, while Google searches for Valentine’s Day gifts remain high throughout early February, marketing email send dates show that most brands reserve most of their marketing activities for Valentine’s Day.
“Ecommerce brands should assume every holiday is relevant to them, even in a traditionally unromantic industry. As the economy tightens, capturing every dollar matters, so brands should market holidays like Valentine’s Day as early as possible. Allow your customers to show some love, and maybe they’ll show you some right back,” says Zakowicz.
Valentine’s Day is approaching – can brands still jump on the bandwagon?
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many brands assume they’ve missed the window. But the reality is, there’s still time to capitalize on the holiday, especially since most businesses aren’t leveraging it. Only 1 in 10 brands sent marketing messages on Valentine’s Day in 2024, leaving plenty of opportunity for those who do.
Zakowicz shares last-minute strategies brands can use to engage shoppers and boost sales before and on February 14:
- Send a “Valentine’s Gift” to Your Customers. Since only 10% of brands send marketing messages on Valentine’s Day, a simple “here’s a gift for you” email with a special discount code can help you stand out and drive conversions.
- Think Beyond Couples. Not everyone is celebrating romance, but many are treating themselves, their pets, or even their friends. Promote self-care, Galentine’s Day, or pet-focused gifts to widen your audience.
- Offer Digital and Instant Gift Options. For those who procrastinate, gift cards, e-gifts, and same-day pickup options make last-minute purchases easy. Promoting these alternatives can capture late-stage buyers who would otherwise skip the holiday.
- Use Urgency to Drive Last-Minute Sales. Remind customers that time is running out for Valentine’s gifts, whether for partners, friends, or themselves. Limited-time offers and “last chance” messaging can create a strong purchase incentive.
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Methodology
Omnisend researchers analyzed over 800 million marketing emails sent between February 1st and February 14th, 2024. Month-over-month comparisons compare the first two weeks of February to the first two weeks of January 2024. Additionally, researchers looked into Google trends data around Valentine’s Day search keywords and compared them to the volume of Valentine’s Day-themed emails sent.
