As chocolate remains a currency of love…

Most people around the world either initiate a romantic endeavour or reinforce a pre-existing relationship on Valentine’s Day. Somewhere between love letters and cinema outings, chocolate has universally positioned itself as a currency of love. 

This synonymy of chocolate and love has paved a way for a more targeted marketing for brands in the category. Come February, and chocolate brands from across the world execute campaigns that leverage the festive vibes of Valentine’s Day. From heart-shaped chocolates to decorative hampers, brands try to assist lovers in whatever capacity they deem appropriate. 

For instance, Cadbury Silk has unveiled the latest rendition of its 'How far will you go for love?' campaign, titled 'Unforgettable love tips'. The brand has onboarded popular celebrities such as Armaan Malik and Prajakta koli among others who've lent their voices in a campaign that aims to instill a notion of 'healthy love' among youngsters.

Another FMCG giant Mars Wrigley has announced the launch of a new product, Snickers Berry Whip, on the occasion of Valentine's Day. The campaign 'Blunders Happen when you are Berry Hungry' is aimed at couples prone to 'innocent blunders' in the name of love.

Ferrero India’s latest Valentine’s Day digital campaign, titled ‘Moments of Love’, sees the brand positioning its product line ‘Ferrero Rocher Moments’ as a token of love. 

Speaking on the prominence of chocolates in Valentine's Day celebration, Zoher Kapuswala, marketing head, Pralines at Ferrero India, mentions that they have become the most popular choice for people to express affection.

“For years, chocolates have been the simplest and sweetest expression of love between couples. Undeniably, chocolates bring everyone immense joy, which makes it the best present for your Valentine.”

The occasion tends to churn out many benefits for the brand. According to Kapuswala, Valentine’s Day brings about considerable sales growth. 

“February is the season of love. E-commerce and modern trade outlets carry out many innovative activations to celebrate this festive occasion, and chocolates ride on this trend.” 

The combination of Valentine’s Day and chocolates, according to Ankit Desai, marketing director, Hershey India, has driven a lot of consumer engagement, over the years. 

“Consumers are now looking beyond traditional gifts, when it comes to festive indulgences, and chocolates top their list. This trend has only accelerated over the last few years, led by heightened consumer enthusiasm and chocolate brands’ increased focus.”

Hershey India has a premium chocolate range readily available for occasional festivities. The brand, over the years, has consistently stepped into the Valentine’s Day limelight through its campaigns. This year, its campaign, titled ‘YoursForever’, is a bid to step up its Valentine’s Day presence. 

“Over the last few years, we have adopted an integrated experiential approach to build preference for our brands during Valentine’s Day. ‘YoursForever’ is built on the back of heavy on-air media support, supplemented with print media, activations, sampling and strong in-store presence, across channels,” adds Desai.

Valentine’s Day also seems to have grabbed hold of content company Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT). For the launch of season 4 of its flagship web series ‘Butterflies’, TTT has partnered with Hershey’s to earmark Valentine’s Day this year, adding a signature merchandise kit of T-shirts, tote bag, badges and Hershey’s Kisses. 

Anuj Gosalia, founder and CEO of TTT, tells afaqs! about the significance of chocolates in the world of love, and the insight behind the collaboration with Hershey’s. 

“There’s something about a chocolate that lends itself very well to gifting, especially on Valentine’s Day. It isn’t too elaborate or fussy.”

“With season 4 of ‘Butterflies’, we forged an incredible partnership with Hershey’s that tries to genuinely create a moment in stories where the chocolate really shines. Chocolates are accessible, economical and vibe with all age groups. There is an opportunity to create a genuine moment with chocolates, as compared to other products and categories.”