We were asked to help with a campaign for Valentine’s Day to encourage people to consider the gift of trees, in place of less sustainable options. We welcomed the challenge and set about reimagining Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is celebrated across the world on 14th February. It is commonly associated with love and romance. Sadly, however, it can also be a day which contributes to a negative impact on people and the planet.
Gathering insights*
A survey taken by the AARP Foundation revealed that non-married adults who don’t have a significant other, are more likely to feel lonely when thinking about Valentine’s Day (26%) than those who are dating (19%) or those in a romantic relationship (6%).
Furthermore, Redditors associate the Word “Lonely” with Valentine’s Day in conversations with a higher frequency than “Relationship”.
We also looked at the environmental implications of the day. It was interesting to consider the impact of mass produced cut flowers which line the entrances of the supermarkets. The majority are produced in greenhouses as they are out of season, treated with pesticides which are toxic to insects and people, imported resulting in further carbon emissions. Packaging also uses one time use plastics.
Valentine’s Day as a force for good
While the gift of trees provides an alternative sustainable and ethical present, we went further and reimagined Valentine’s Day as a day which avoids adding to feelings of loneliness. We focused on sharing love for the planet and society as a whole, shifting the emphasis away from ‘love’ being dependent on a relationship with another human being — to celebrating love for the planet, to foster feelings of inclusivity.
What are your thoughts on Valentine’s Day? Would you consider a more inclusive and sustainable campaign?
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*Insights from Connect2Affect /ATT savings and Reddit.