Bad Valentine Ideas
Valentine’s Day advertising is already a genre. But in their quest to capitalize on romantic impulses, some brands go completely wrong. We have compiled a selection of the funniest (and saddest) promos that have been created at different times for Valentine’s Day.
On the eve of Valentine’s Day, our users sent us the weirdest ads that were created by brands around the world in different ways. If you also do a promo, now you will definitely know how not to.
1. In the British supermarket chain Tesco, next to the cucumbers, they placed a promo-inscription “Ideal solution for Valentine’s Day”. Well, maybe. But hardly.
2. In the wake of the love of sandwiches 30 cm long, or 1 foot (translated from the English. “Stop”), the Subway fast food chain made an advertisement on the foot theme. Pure food foot fetish.
3. Continuing the theme of food – the seafood restaurant invited its guests to treat “their Valentine’s card with crabs”. In the Russian version it sounds good, but in English the word “crab” is translated both as a crab and as a pubic louse.
4. But not all fast food brands are so straightforward. A few years ago for Valentine’s Day, Burger King created a romantic atmosphere with its “grown-up” menu. It looks pretty cute, the main thing is not to confuse it with the children’s version in a hurry.
5. Some restaurants go even further – and on forks show what you can do in the evening (or not only in the evening) on this holiday. Here are options from Muthoot Plaza and La Benedicta.
6. The Domino’s pizza chain has come out on Tinder with an offer that is hard to refuse. “Are you going on a date with Domino’s?” Asks the fatty pizza in the heart. A swipe to the right meant yes, of course. For those who love lonely evenings with pizza, the ad is good, for the rest it is controversial. (Source: Marketingmagazine.co.uk)
7. Some marketers believe that pizza is a real aphrodisiac. But, of course, you shouldn’t offer your loved one a $ 10 pizza as a gift. Better to put together a set: a limousine ride, a bouquet of flowers, fireworks, a photo shoot, a video, a ruby ring and, of course, a pizza for $ 10 (which with all this stuff costs $ 10,010).
8. By the way, about the engagement. What girl doesn’t want a bucket of fried wings as a gift? In the Hooters bar chain, famous for selecting waitresses by breast size, they are sure: good wings are no worse than a diamond ring.
9. Inspired by the example of Pizza Hut, French McDonald’s suggests giving the girl a delicious Big Mac instead of a ring. No thanks.
10. Who likes to eat pizza with a good movie? In this store, they thought that everyone loves, and they recommended the film. True, it is called “Unfaithful”:
11. Continuing to rock the boat of love, a Canadian newspaper ran an ad in which a lawyer is proposing a divorce on Valentine’s Day. Maybe this is the same sign?
12. Honesty is the main thing. This ad in an electrical store is more direct: “Who will make this Valentine’s Day special? Dick!”. Good promise. But in English, “dik” means exactly what the cucumbers from the beginning of this article look like.
13. Looking for a creepy Valentine’s Day gift? So here it is – now you know exactly what lovebird couples look like:
14. And a little more about gifts for Valentine’s Day. Pills for bloating, antifungal cream – this store knows exactly how to please its soul mate. Or how to completely upset her.
15. No one to go out with on Valentine’s Day? Invite these tough guys. They won’t ask unnecessary questions.
16. If you have already decided everything with the topic of murder, then here is another advertisement for you on a gloomy (or simply pragmatic) topic. Who said Valentine’s Day is not the right time to think about the eternal and order a funeral service for your loved one? Of course, for the future.
17. Continuing the pragmatic line, Office Depot stores also offer to take care of the finale – this time of married life. And just in case, buy a form of papers for divorce.
18. Not going to get divorced? Okay – IKEA has a lot to offer. The world’s leading furniture retailer sells baby cots at a discount, but on condition that the baby was born on February 14 – that is, 9 months after the holiday. (Source: Twitter)
19. Time to have kids. So says one of the Thrifty car rental services and suggests celebrating Valentine’s Day not in a bed in a hotel room, but in the seat of their cars. Then think about why these services clean the car interior so thoroughly after each client. (Source: business2community.com)
20. Greasy marketing sells – that’s a fact. It’s hard to believe that Renault followed the Thrifty’s lead, but that’s also a fact. The famous auto brand wished “everyone who is in love, a passionate Valentine’s Day.” (Source: Business Insider)
21. If you think jewelry brands only do graceful ads for Valentine’s Day, you are wrong. We cannot say for sure what Nakshatra Diamonds was thinking when we did an ad about a happy lady who wears diamonds instead of underwear. But I want to clarify: are you sure that she is comfortable in that triangle?
22. We continue our journey through greasy advertisements for jewelry brands. Meet Nathan, the brand with the most offensive sexist Valentine’s ad ever. The advertisement unequivocally hints that the way to a woman’s – hmm – heart lies through the jewelry presented to her. (Source: business2community.com)
23. It’s hard to imagine that someone could do the same stupidity again, but it happened. Only here is a slightly different trick. And although no one doubts that for most women the personality of a man is more important than his appearance, a stereotype is being developed here: all women want men to have abs, but they can reconsider the principles if you give them a ring. (Source: business2community.com)
24. Congratulations, you Swatch marketers! Who would have thought that an inverted heart resembles a butt, right? Maybe Swatch decided to use a play of meanings in the phrase from the bottom of our hearts, where bottom is translated as “depth” and “butt”. But it would be better if they were creative only about watches.
25. And you know what? Ax also decided to make a kindergarten-level joke and turned the heart over. It turned out to be a priest. Wow, creative.
26. How about an offer to name a cockroach after your Valentine? The Bronx Zoo offers an entire gift package: the name of your loved one is assigned to a cockroach, and in addition you are presented with a badge, socks and a box of chocolates.
27. Valentine’s Day is not Valentine’s Day without jokes about feminine hygiene products. And the first on this track was Tampax. “The biggest wish for Valentine’s Day” for a guy is that his girlfriend does not start her period that day? Seriously? (Source: Business Insider)
28. If you think that the topic of feminine hygiene products is closed, then no. Here is another brand offering to take care of its “B” on this day.
29. And finally, here’s another print on the topic – just a sausage, just an open bun. What did you think?
30. On sexyavenue.com every day is Valentine’s Day. This resource seems to have done something funny. But no, not really.
Valentine’s Day has long since grown from a simple romantic holiday into a marketing occasion – when cafes, restaurants, shops and flower shops make a huge cash register. Only so far not all companies have learned not only to calculate the proceeds from sales that day, but also to prepare good advertising for it.
If you also do a promo, be careful not to make all these mistakes. Better learn from Wonderbra:
