Ah, Valentine's Day. It's all teddybears, flowers and chocolates. But not in adland (or the AdNews office. Apart from the chocolates, which is more of an all-year-round type of thing). This year, brands have tapped into V-Day fever with campaigns ranging from pizza-scented perfume to the chance to toss your boss out of a plane. But which one gets your love? Cast your vote below and let the world know.
Jetstar:
The airline has partnered with online dating company RSVP to launch what it calls "Australia's first ever in-flight dating service". The tie-up will see 28 single people board the 'LoveJet' on a flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast, on which they are encouraged to "work the cabin" and strengthen their dating skills.
The entrants will be chosen via an application process on the RSVP website. They will then be taught courting skills by comedian Tommy Little, which the company claimed will ensure there are "no awkward pauses or first date faux pas' along the way".
The sky-high stunt follows a study by 1,200 RSVP members which revealed the most lusted-after Valentine's Day gesture was to be "whisked away for lunch or dinner". The push will be supported by a social media competition giving entrants the chance to win one of seven $1,000 holiday vouchers.
Thirsty Camel:
The local bottle shop chain has created a short film parodying the potential horrors of internet dating called 'The Pick Up'. It shows a unidentified blonde woman called "Kitty Cat" flirting with a character called "Big Mike", who claims to an ex-underwear model. The man turns out to be a middle-aged greasy-haired and overweight man, roused by the prospect of his seemingly naive online fling. Needless to say, his potential lover is far from the imagined ideal. It closes with the tagline "Pick up what you really want", and was created by Twenty20 Communications.
Google Chrome and Lego:
The companies are encouraging users to create a digital Valentine's Day send-off to their loved ones through Google's 'Build with Chrome' technology. Created by M&C Saatchi's agency Mark, the project claims to help couples "commemorate that special place they first met, kissed, or...whatever". It is demonstrated with an online video on Chrome's YouTube channel.
Mini:
The car brand has rolled out a campaign inviting consumers to submit a message and song to their partner on the brand's Facebook page. Mini will then turn some of them into dedicated love songs and broadcast them "to the world". It has also uploaded many images to its Facebook pages, with the tagline "Truly, Madly, Deeply, Mini".
Telstra:
The telco has set up a 26-metre high digital "Billboard of Love" on the corner of Melbourne's Bourke St Mall and Swanson Street. It asks users text their name and their Valentine's name to 0499 My Love for it to appear on the billboard. Telstra Brands' general manager Natalie Dean said in a statement: “Traditionally the perception is that men approach Valentine’s Day with a bit of fear and trepidation, but it seems through the Billboard they are able to come out and show that someone special how much they mean to them."
Pizza Hut:
Why smell like flowers when you can smell like pepperoni? That's the question Pizza Hit is asking this Valentines Day. "Eau de Pizza Hut is a deliciously doughy scent that elicits drool when it’s worn", claims the press release. The scent is being promoted by a print ad and follows the company's Valentine's Day Facebook competition which rewarded winning consumers with samples of the perfume.
Branding By Air:
The stunt and advertising company, which specialises in creating helicopter banners and aerial displays, has rolled out a competition called "Toss Your Boss". It gives people the chance to win a tandem skydive for their boss, along with a "team party in the dropzone" or an iPad Mini.
The holiday has also seen a number of tactical newspaper ads from companies including Princess Cruises, Mercedes and Toohey's 5 Seeds.
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