Valentine’s Day in Brazil has an unromantic origin – 06/12/2023 – Equilíbrio

Valentine’s Day is seen as the time to celebrate the union between couples, but the date has a rather unromantic origin. The idea of ​​celebrating love on June 12th was born out of a marketing ploy to boost trade in the third quarter of each year and, by taking a ride with our “advertising boom” of the 1950s, has never stopped growing.

And the idea is seen as something that worked: this year, the date should move BRL 23.17 billion in retail and services, 28% more than expected for 2022, according to a survey by the National Confederation of Shopkeepers and the Credit Protection Service. The average amount spent on gifts is R$ 232 per Brazilian.

Since when does Brazil celebrate Valentine’s Day on June 12?

It all started in 1948, when the Patriarca Exhibition, a department store aimed at men, and Modas Clipper, whose target audience was women, commissioned a campaign from the Standart Propaganda agency. The aim was to boost third-half sales, which used to be weak.

Coordinated by publicist João Agripino da Costa Dória Neto, father of the former mayor of São Paulo, João Dória, the agency’s team created a kind of Brazilian “Valentine’s Day”. But, instead of being celebrated on February 13, as in other countries around the world, the chosen date was June 12, the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day, the matchmaker saint.

“It was to be expected that in a country that breathes carnival in February, the classic Valentine’s Day would not succeed”, says sales marketing professor Dino Gueno, from ESPM (Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing).

How was the campaign?

The two stores in São Paulo published newspaper advertisements inviting people to give gifts to their companions on the new special date. “This is the day when creatures who love each other all over the world exchange vows of love and tender gifts”, says the text at the time, which indicated the Patriarca store when the purchase was for men, and suggested Modas Clipper, when the pampering was for women. Finally, it ends with the slogan: “It’s not just kisses that love is proved”.

The proposal received support from the Confederation of Commerce of São Paulo and was so successful that it was even awarded, says Marketing professor Fernando Marquesini, from FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas).

Gueno adds that it is not known exactly when the idea was instituted for good for all trade, but the date spread quickly already at that time and today it is the third most important in national retail, second only to Christmas and Mother’s Day, and getting ahead of Father’s Day.

What historical factors contributed to this idea succeeding?

June 12 was propagated year after year and its popularity grew with the support of the advertising market. The arrival of television, for example, in 1950, led to a veritable revolution in mass communication, expanding the capillarity of campaigns, according to Gueno.

“The figure of the ‘poster girl’ appears, advertising becomes more technical and elaborate, and TV gives advertising a reach never seen before in Brazil”.

The diffusion of brands was not restricted to advertisements only. By exposing a certain lifestyle, the mass media led readers, listeners and viewers to adhere to certain ways of thinking and consuming. Romantic scenes from soap operas, musical shows and special programs contributed strongly to creating festive moments around Valentine’s Day, says Marketing professor Vera Pacheco, from FAAP (Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado).

What was it possible to learn from the success of the 12th of June in Brazil?

For Gueno, this story shows that a successful seasonal date needs to create connection and movement. “Any campaign that connects us emotionally has the potential to become a cultural phenomenon,” she says. It is also necessary to embrace a heterogeneous public around some feeling. “Valentine’s Day is celebrated by couples young and old, from the poorest to the richest, each in their own way. It has a broad base and is therefore popular,” she says.

A third point is the fluidity of the date. It cannot be imposed, it is important that people are free to appropriate the concept, customize, transform and give their own meaning to that day. This even opens doors to more fluid and timeless strategies.

“The Reserva brand ran a Valentine’s Day campaign questioning ageism, with an elderly couple in a moment of love and intimacy. Diversity also became the agenda of the campaigns. Today, advertising is more inclusive, because it mirrors the discussions of the our time”, he argues.