Doing nothing for Valentines day is also cool.

Hey, Quick Life Updates:

Holiday spirit is in the air! Ganesh Aagman at home, party everywhere, and even a competition of making Ganpati at the workplace. Between the gym and the desk, we’re still working hard, because devotion, discipline, and deadlines all deserve their place.

Confession time:  Between all the festive season chaos I was reminded of this year’s valentines day disaster. Usually, I'm the person who forgets to make reservations, doesn’t remember special dates, gets awkward, and doesn’t like too much fanciness or attention. One year, I even tried to make a heart-shaped pizza... It ended in disaster.  (Don't ask for a picture.)

So, you can imagine how much I appreciated Cadbury 5 Star's anti-Valentine's Day campaigns. This year, they took it to a new level with their "Destroy Valentine's Day" initiative.  The idea? Enlist "uncles", those lovable, slightly out-of-touch figures, to participate in Valentine's Day activities.  The logic?  If uncles are doing it, it can't be cool, (aghh!)

Pure marketing genius.

It's a bold move, especially for a chocolate brand. But as Nitin Saini, VP of Marketing at Mondelez India, explained, they identified a whitespace. They asked, "What about those who aren't celebrating?" And that's where the magic happened.

Here's why 5 Star's anti-Valentine's Day campaign is so brilliant:

Key Learnings for Marketers:

• Stay True to Your Brand: Align your campaign with your brand's core values. If your brand stands for "doing nothing," let that be the heart of your message.

• Know Your Audience: Understand your target market. 5 Star resonated with Gen Z by tapping into their weariness of overly commercialized love messages.

• Differentiate Yourself: In a sea of conventional campaigns, a unique and unexpected approach can capture attention and spark buzz.

• Embrace Bold Ideas: Taking a daring stance, like an anti-Valentine's message, can create conversation and set you apart.

• Trust Your Creative Team: Allow creative freedom to develop authentic, unfiltered ideas that truly resonate with your audience.

This isn't the first time 5 Star has taken an anti-Valentine's Day stance. Their campaigns have become a tradition, something audiences look forward to. They've tapped into a universal feeling the pressure of Valentine's Day and found a way to make it funny and relatable. Just like my own personal Valentine's Day disasters...but, you know, on a much larger (and more successful) scale.

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Quick Marketing Truth: Sometimes, the best way to stand out is to zig when everyone else zags.

Making zig zag and straight moves to bring the best outcome for brands, Book a session here to discuss making your brand unforgettable.

If you enjoyed this month’s marketing newsletter on 5 star, you must check out our top case study here.

Book Recommendation of the Week: Building Brand Communities by Richard Millington. This book explores the power of building communities around your brand.

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That's all for now!

Radhika.

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