Be Mine: A Brief History of Valentine’s Day Marketing

Be Mine: A Brief History of Valentine’s Day Marketing

How did we get from an ancient Roman festival, to a holiday that compels many of us to spend no less than $147 on celebrating it? That story, it turns out, is thousands of years old — but we’ll try to condense it to the roots of Valentine’s Day.

Ancient Rome

The roots of Valentine’s Day are cited by some sources to lie in the ancient Roman festival Lupercalia, which took place annually on February 15 and involved some very primitive forms of courtship and matchmaking.

A Brief Timeline of Valentine’s Day Marketing

Charles II of Sweden begins communicating with flowers, by assigning a different message to each type.

1880 – 1881 Howland sells the New England Valentine Company to the George C. Whitney Company

The Hershey Chocolate Company is founded, bringing what was previously “a European luxury product” to the U.S.

Shakespeare (and Chaucer) in Love

Valentine’s Day first became romanticized by classic authors like William Shakespeare in the late 16th century, and Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300s

Be Ours

Valentine’s Day has experienced a transition into pop culture that has shaped the way it is perceived, discussed, and celebrated.

The 17th Century and Beyond

Valentine’s Day made its way from Europe to the United States around the 1700s, with the establishment of the North American colonies between 1607-1770.

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