Cupid’s Heyday.
As part of my new gig’s responsibilities, I manage all PR efforts for the company. But instead of simply waiting for inquiries to pop up & react, I’ve proactively joined an online group where reporters from around the country send their story ideas and do a mass call-out for credible sources and/or consumers to interview. Simply genius. Apparently the idea started out as a Facebook page and morphed into a 100,000+ following — now it functions as a self-sustaining site. This outlet allows seamless and fast communicate for the media to lock down experts in various fields and simultaneously gives companies near effortless publicity.
I couldn’t help but notice during today’s feed that a large majority of story ideas are dabbling in a particular timely arena.
“Love at First Site Plane Stories” – “Unusual Marriage Proposals” – “Valentine’s Day Gifts for Pets” – “Need Expert to Discuss Desire & Sexuality” – “Amazing Engagements & Proposals” – “Outlandish Wedding Proposals” – “Couple activity ideas for Valentine’s Day” – “Valentine’s Day engagements” and the requests go on and on.
God help me. February 14 is right around the corner. Cupid’s back with vengeance.
Here’s the thing. I love me a solid romantic gesture. Especially when they’re least expected. Especially when they’re original, thoughtful, meaningful and/or sincere. Especially when they’re “just because.” But I cannot stand cheesy, overt television commercials concocted from 10 different jeweler businesses, all depicting a perfect picturesque clip straight out of a movie. I wish, for once, one of these shops would step outside the faux script and show a real, relatable story. Because let’s face it – we’re not dumb enough to believe that *that* is how it really plays out. If there is one thing I’ve learned in marketing to today’s consumers it is that we’re smart cookies, and, we don’t like to be treated like idiots.
The media has managed to saturate our minds with purchase-inducing ideas, brought to you by paying sponsors, in an evil plot disguised by bows to push cash out of our pockets, completely striping away the whole point of its significance. Not to mention giving us gals even more reason(s) to hold our men accountable and open up room for error, and disappointment, if they don’t come through to the likes of these ads. I’d personally rather have a guy surprise me any day of the week with a sweet message, an unexpected homecooked meal, flowers for no reason at all, or an impromptu drive-by ColdStone just for being me, rather than a mechanical agenda pushed by advertising on a predetermined set day.
Those silly 30 second scenes are already terribly obnoxious. And now, leveraging the trusty Valentine holiday will only exacerbate my already extreme levels of nauseousness when it goes to gifting precious metals.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve celebrated the annual occasion many times over since my youth, including the exchange of heart-shaped cards, chocolate truffles, long-stemmed red roses, table-for-2 dinners among other cookie cutter initiatives. But I honor love day in and day out and don’t need a merchandising display to prompt my participation; the for-profit promotions have really gotten out of hand. Nothing feels authentic anymore. What happened to handmade greetings, poems, and personalized sentiments?
While I delicately step off my ruby red Soap Box, let the record show that I am more than happy to claim a Valentine this calendar year. RSVPing to “Singles Awareness Day” is a party I’m happy to miss.
