Valentine’s Day. A whole 24 hours dedicated to telling the one you love how much you appreciate them, or if you’re a marketer, the perfect promotional tool!

Every year tons of brands jump on the Valentine’s Day hype to sell their latest products and shout out about their latest offerings. But as cliché as it is, I have to admit I do love waiting to see what marketing gems Valentine’s Day will bring and this year hasn’t disappointed…

Here are my top 5 Valentine’s Day marketing campaigns of 2019

1. Bouquet de Poulet by KFC

I’m a big fan of a play on words and as weird as a bunch of chicken-filled roses are – I like it! Sadly the fast-food chain aren’t giving away flowers – their promotional image is just a promotional image – but the idea is pretty funny and Twitter users seem to really enjoy it!

2. Rainbow roses by Morrison’s

Unlike KFC, Morrison’s ARE selling roses and this Valentine’s Day have added a new bunch to their collection. The new Rainbow Roses are absolutely beautiful, with each petal a different colour of the pride flag.

What’s even more amazing is that Morrison’s are donating a share of the money they make to The Albert Kennedy Trust - a charity providing safe homes and support to young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transexual.

3. Heart shaped pizzas by Papa John’s and Asda

Now Marks & Spencer’s Love Sausage may have stolen the show this Valentine’s Day for being… well weird! But personally I’m much more of a fan of the heart shaped pizzas available at Papa John’s and Asda. Asda’s version is available in a range of flavours - Mozzarella Meltdown, American Sizzler, Meat Feast, Very Veggie Supreme and Pepperoni Feast and the cheese toppings are also cut into little hearts! Not a pizza lover? You could always try Aunt Bessie’s heart-shaped Yorkshire puddings?

4. Emoji bath bombs by Lush

What better way to say “I love you” than with an aubergine shaped bath bomb…

Lush’s cheeky new Valentine’s Day collection is dedicated to ‘contemporary love’, covering the full list of suggestive fruits and vegetables - ranging from bananas to peaches!

5. My Husband, My Lover by Refuge

As fun as Valentine’s Day marketing gimmicks are, the final campaign on this list has a much more serious message. This year Refuge has published a reversible poem, created by McCann Bristol, to highlight domestic violence. Reading the poem backwards shows the severity and pervasiveness of domestic violence on Valentine’s Day, drawing attention to the various forms it can take.

Do you have a different Valentine’s Day campaign that you think should have made the list? Tweet us @forwardrole or comment on our LinkedIn post to join in the conversation.