This year, big brands might hit a roadblock when targeting Valentine's Day consumers. Roses and romance are fast becoming a thing of the past for Valentine's Day.
The national day of love has morphed into a celebration not solely focused on significant others, according to an Influence Central-based survey of 600+ women.
Some 70% of survey respondents are surrendering one-on-one, husband-and-wife time for family and friends.
The essence of Valentine's Day has transitioned, as people focus more on overall appreciation of loved ones rather than romance. In fact, less than 50% of the women surveyed feel that the holiday represents romance anymore.
And special "alone time" is now for family bonding: 79% say they'll celebrate Valentine's Day with their kids, and 62% say they'll have Valentine's Day dinner at home.
So, what are consumer trends this national day of love?
Advertisers have their eye on children: 69% of female consumers anticipate buying a gift for their kids. Moreover, 56% say their family's biggest expenditure will be gifts for children.
Spending will also be down in 2015.
Forget diamonds and lavish gifts. Some 79% anticipate spending less than $100 overall this Valentine's Day. Flowers and jewelry get the short shrift, making up less than 30% of what family's plan on buying.
Facebooking Valentines
Get ready for the spreading of virtual love—hand-written letters are not topping many people's to-do list.
A total of 64% will express their love via social media, according to the survey. A whopping 98% will turn to Valentine's Day-related Facebook posts, and 69% will do the same on Twitter.
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All that data will definitely play a role in what you'll see advertised on television, in magazines, and newspapers.
Expect a variety of Valentine's Day gift ideas for the whole family.
In addition, these gifts will be budget-based—consumers will shop for the best bargains online or in-store. Restaurants might see a downturn from Valentine's Day customers, or you might notice more Valentine Day's deals on dinner.
The good news: People will be hitting up the grocery store to prep a home-cooked meal. And you just might find a last-minute Valentine's Day card now that most people are turning to their laptop to honor the national day of love.
