McNugget Caviar, anyone? How about a box of conversation hearts themed around the U.S.’s weakened economy? Or, perhaps you’d like to bid on a $35,000 diamond ring shaped like a can of BuzzBallz?
Valentine’s Day is always an opportunity for marketers to spark brand love, and this year has yielded some particularly steal-worthy ideas. We’re talking high tea, marriage contracts, blind boxes and intimate payphone chats. Let’s hop onboard the love train.
DAVE & BUSTER’S
Speaking of brand-commissioned diamond rings, five Dave & Buster’s locations are inviting couples to participate in the brand’s full-body Human Crane arcade experience on Valentine’s Day for a shot at winning one of five $15,000, three-carat diamond engagement rings hidden within each prize pit. (In reality, the rings are faux, and the real ones will be shipped to winners’ homes.)
Image: Courtesy of Dave & Buster’s
DENNY’S
Denny’s has been helping consumers get hitched for several years now, but for 2026, the brand added a new component: “Toast-nuptial Agreements.” Indeed, while couples are invited to get married for free at Denny’s Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day, the offer includes agreeing to a contract stating the couple will stay married at least until breakfast the following day.
Here’s how it works: Once wed, couples are given an exclusive “Over-easy Overnight” kit while at the restaurant, which includes Slammy pajamas, eye masks and pillowcases designed for a Vegas sleep-in. Then, the participating newlyweds who stay together through the morning of Feb. 15 can tag @DennysDiner and use #DennysToastNup in a “Just Married” morning post on their social channels to receive complimentary breakfast in bed. (Agency: M Booth, p.r.)
Photos: Courtesy of Denny’s
FX
With its new miniseries “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette” having premiered on Feb. 12, FX leaned into the topic and timing by leveraging Valentine’s Day to promote the show across activations, VIP experiences, sweepstakes and fashion-centric partnerships.
The brand’s mission to turn Manhattan into a “living love letter” encompassed three romance-themed events. On Feb. 12, FX and luxury chocolatier Jacques Torres arrived at Grand Central Terminal to celebrate the series premiere with a pop-up cart offering free, handmade mini chocolates.
On Valentine’s Day, the network is partnering with Bubby’s to offer New Yorkers complimentary hot chocolate or hot apple cider, along with a sweet treat, from a pop-up cart located outside Bubby’s TriBeCa. Meanwhile, over at Wollman Rink in Central Park, FX is providing a free ice skating experience, plus a Chill Lounge for those over the age of 18. The space offers a Swedish Candy Cart by BonBon; a Flower Shop with series-inspired, complimentary take-home arrangements designed by Ovando, a floral photo op; and a café dishing out hot chocolate and sweets. (Agency: Civic)
JINX
To launch its new cat food line, Jinx took advantage of the overlap between New York Fashion Week and Valentine’s Day with The Purrfect Match, an invite-only event in NYC hosted in collaboration with global creator Tinx.
The strategy was derived from the cultural insight that cat ownership is often viewed as the “ultimate” green flag in the dating world, with touchpoints to match. Like custom Green Flag/Red Flag scratch-off cards that revealed playful dating and personality traits through the eyes of a feline. There was also the Kitty Corner, where attendees could play with rescue kittens from Animal Haven NYC. Those who spent time with the kittens scored a “Green Flag Certified” card, while anyone who adopted a kitty was gifted a free year’s supply of Jinx cat food.
Other highlights spanned an Illustration Station offering personalized live portraits of attendees’ pets; a roaming Lint Roller Attendant; a fashion-centric Kitty Klaw claw machine; and a pool table transformed into a product installation with nods to cat parenthood, from perch structures to allergy meds and bandages styled in brass bowls to branded matchboxes to a three-tiered cake. (Agencies: Sterling Social, production; PR Dept Inc. and Manifest, p.r.)
Photo credits: Middle Grey Studios; BFA
LEGO
Last year, Lego launched a global Botanicals Le Florist Flower Truck Tour to celebrate Valentine’s Day and its Botanicals collection. This year, the brand activated all-ages Lego Botanicals Bloom Bar events around the world.
The floral-inspired experiences varied a bit by location, but most included touchpoints like flower quizzes that match consumers with Botanicals builds, themed mocktails, swag bags, Lego installations, conversation-starter cards, photo ops, plenty of opportunities to build Botanicals bouquets, and a Lego rose to take home.
NETFLIX HOUSE PHILADELPHIA
Netflix House Philadelphia offers a handful of semi-permanent experiences themed around its hit series, like “Wednesday” and “One Piece.” But for Valentine’s Day, the property hosted (sold-out) events, inspired by the new season of “Bridgerton,” for a limited time.
From Feb. 1-14, fans could participate in a Season of Love activation at the Netflix Bites restaurant, where they experienced a high-tea-style service while surrounded by “Bridgerton” décor.
On Feb. 12, those who purchased tickets for the Bridgerton Sip & Sketch experience got a chance to sketch alongside a local artist, with the option to purchase one of Netflix’s Taste of the Ton cocktails or mocktails.
And on Feb. 14, consumers can attend an exclusive “Bridgerton’s Season of Love” early screening of the first episode in Season 4, Part 2 at the on-site theater, which will be decorated for the holiday.
Image: Courtesy of Netflix House Philadelphia
RED LOBSTER X VASELINE
A seemingly unlikely duo, Red Lobster and Vaseline teamed up for the holiday to activate a co-branded Kissing Booth culinary experience in New York City. The idea? To combine the restaurant chain’s date-night meal favorites with the CPG brand’s limited-edition Valentine’s Day Lip Therapy collection in an effort to help keep lips “smooch-worthy this Valentine’s season” (and to capitalize on the companies’ audience crossover).
From Feb. 10-12 at Red Lobster’s Times Square location, couples who reserved a table ahead of time sat in a Valentine’s-themed “Kissing Booth” for a five-course dining experience specifically designed for two. The final “course” was complimentary lip balm.
Photo: Courtesy of Red Lobster and Vaseline
SERENDIPITY 3
New York’s Serendipity 3 is renowned for its “Frrrozen Hot Chocolate” dessert drink, and for Valentine’s Day, the restaurant teamed up with jewelry designer Isabela Grutman to serve up Diamond Frrrozen Hot Chocolate beverages, available exclusively on the holiday.
The limited-time offering features an edible chocolate heart, lacquered in cherry red coloring, that was built to be cracked open with a “ceremonial mallet.” And here’s the kicker: Each heart contains a real diamond by Grutman’s brand ranging from 0.1 carats to more than 1 carat. The lucky winner of the crown jewel, which is worth nearly $10K, will have the chance to collaborate with the company to incorporate the stone into a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece.
Image: Courtesy of Serendipity 3
TELEFLORA
Flower delivery service Teleflora leveraged a play on its name to deliver a whimsical “Tele-flora” phone booth activation in Los Angeles that invited consumers to “Love Out Loud.” The pink, floral-encased installation featured a pink payphone that rang as people passed by.
Those who answered the call were asked what they’d say to a loved one if they could speak freely from the heart (and the candid, heartfelt answers were quite wholesome). Participants who shared their Love Out Loud received a QR code with a recording of their message to share with their loved one, as well as a complimentary Teleflora bouquet. (Agency: Wonderful Agency/In-house)
Photo: Courtesy of Teleflora
TONY’S CHOCOLONELY
From Feb. 6-8, Tony’s Chocolonely made a statement about inequality in the cocoa industry while marking Valentine’s Day with “Valentony’s Shop,” powered by Spotify, a pop-up in NYC that was dripping in the brand’s rich red hue. Designed in partnership with artist Cj Hendry, the space centered around a monochromatic installation of blind boxes.
Why this strategy? “Because the cocoa industry is like a (blind) box of chocolates—there’s no transparency, and it’s hard to see the inequality at the source,” according to a statement on the company’s website.
Upon entry, attendees snagged a blind box for free, and from there, they could purchase others for just $1. Each box contained, at the very least, a chocolate bar in a surprise flavor, with the chance to win bigger prizes spread among the rows of red packages.
