Supermarket giant Morrisons will be selling oysters for 25p in the lead up to Valentine's Day. The shellfish has long been said to have aphrodisiac properties, making it a popular choice for romantic meals.
The stunt is a repeat from last year, where the chain sold the delicacies for around 20 times cheaper than the upmarket department stores Harrods and Selfridges.
February 14th is a massive day in the marketing calendar, with businesses large and small offering special deals to attract extra custom. For many small-business owners selling oysters is, of course, not always a practical offer, but there are other ways to promote your company in conjunction with Valentine’s Day.
Sometimes the deal can be obvious, such as offering a couples discount, but a bit of lateral thinking can lead to some brilliant (and bizarre) ideas.
Consider your USP
In 2012, supermarket chain Asda released a tongue-in-cheek Valentine's Card based on their budget Smart Price range. The simple card featured a no-frills design stating "Be my Valentine".
At 7p per card, it proved very popular and sold out across the country. The strategy worked because it was funny and it played on Asda's unique selling point of being a discount supermarket (we all remember the "that's Asda price" slogan). It's worth considering how you could use your brand's reputation to create a witty deal.
Freebies versus advertising
This year jewellery brand PANDORA are placing photobooths in Brighton, Bristol, Leicester, Glasgow, Sheffield and Leeds. People will be able to take a photograph of themselves and create a free personalised Valentine's Card with it. They'll then be invited share their photobooth images online using a campaign hashtag, with the chance to win prizes.
This form of viral advertising will place the PANDORA name at the forefront of people's minds at a time of year that's important for jewellery brands.
Small-business owners should think about what they could give away, and what they can get in return in order to really attract customers this Valentine’s Day.
