V-Day? U-Day? No. Me-Day.

As expressions of romantic love become cliche, brands turn to self-love this Valentine’s Day.

Self-love is inextricable from self-indulgence. 

The kind of self-indulgence that has no place on a day like Valentine’s Day. A day that is all about celebrating the significant other. Brands have always enabled people to express romantic love but times have changed. 

We contain multitudes. Multitudes of relationships, sexualities, and feelings. 

Which is why e-commerce fashion portal AJIO is offering retail-therapy as a solution to all those who have yet to be lovingly called “baby” this Valentine’s Day. Or take Zomato, that voices a woman’s decision to remain unencumbered — “No, no, no, I don’t need a rose. The gulab I want is a jamun, dost!” she says.  

Brands who identify Gen-Z as their Valentines know that it is ‘meconomy’ or me-economy that’s driving consumerism now. 

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I am, therefore, I am

“Personal gratification and identity are two values that have come to define the new generation of consumers,” says Anirban Mozumdar, chief strategy officer, Havas Worldwide India. His observation is that older generations had a need for companionship whereas Gen-Z consumers tend to be less dependent on companionship. “The one thing that is most important to Gen-Z is identity — which today is in every choice a person makes and not just representational data like name, where we came from, etc.” 

The Havas Meaningful Brands report has in fact found that brands tend to perform better when they deliver on personal benefits. It said 69% consumers believe brands should help with their health and wellbeing, whether it is physical, mental or spiritual.

Pooja Thomas, associate professor, MICA, says though we have intrinsically held onto a collective cultural identity, societal shifts have led to more individualistic tendencies. This shift towards individualism has brought with it feelings of loneliness and alienation for those who do not conform to societal norms or belong to traditional institutions.

“People are increasingly grappling with defining their individual identities within larger systems. This is particularly evident among younger generations who seek to break free from conventional norms and explore unconventional relationships. Identity politics further underscores this trend, highlighting a fracture in collectivist cultures,” she says. 

Other than individualism and identity taking centre-stage, we have all now found the right words to articulate our identities and feelings. “The terms we append to our identity have expanded and become poly-dimensional. Single and married are binary; but now one could be single and desire platonic relationships,” says Nisha Sampath, managing partner, Bright Angles Consulting – a consumer insight led consultancy.

Singles are becoming a viable TG for several reasons. Indians are getting married late. With high literacy and better education young Indians now prefer to be financially stable before they get married — delaying marriage from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties. 

“It is a combination of factors,” says Toru Jhaveri, brand strategy expert and founder, The Stuff Of Life, analysing the new trend. “More people are either single or are entering committed relationships later in life. Now even if one is in a relationship, it is passé to define yourself through the relationship only. And there is a stronger feeling about taking care of yourself too.” 

Brands are seeing all these shifts as an opportunity to target a fresh TG using a new language. 

“Young people today are possibly lonely and they are expressing it and finding alternate support systems to alleviate their loneliness. That is something brands can address,” says Sampath. She adds that brands possibly need to segment their TG more finely and traditional broad strokes segmentation is not adequate to address the consumers of today.

Indulgences

Being comfortable in our skin is an idea that is new and uncharted territory for man, but to Gen-Z this might come a little more easily. This too is a shift that is redefining the consumer today and what can trigger a purchase. 

The kind of self-indulgence that Madhuri Dixit as Pooja demonstrates in Dil Toh Pagal Hai when she buys herself V-Day gifts was frowned upon in the Indian household because it was an unnecessary extravagance. 

“The time we spent with ourselves during the intense periods of the Covid-19 pandemic and after that too helped remove the guilt that is associated with indulging ourselves. Those who had the disposable income spent money on themselves to feel comfortable either at their homes, workspaces, or wardrobes,” says Jhaveri.

Thomas also points to the prevailing societal shift towards self-love, as is evident in popular culture today. She believes that Brands serve as reflections of society, echoing its trends and cues in their messaging. “Traditionally, the notion of love centred on romantic partnerships, often within the framework of family. However, urbanisation, stable incomes, and increased prosperity have led many to explore non-traditional relationship dynamics,” she says. 

“This exploration includes staying single until finding the right partner or engaging in alternative forms of companionship. These social and economic factors have placed pressure on the traditional family structure. Brands are increasingly embracing this narrative, recognising its resonance and inclusivity.”

P.G. Aditiya, CCO, Talented, says that brands have now recognised that occasions like Valentine's Day tend to exclude rather than include many individuals. “This exclusionary aspect is common in festivals overall, prompting brands to seek ways to include diverse audiences. Whether it's reaching out to singles on Valentine's Day or those unable to celebrate Diwali at home, brands aim to foster inclusivity by providing creative solutions for participation in these traditions,” he says. 

New template for all brands?

Okay, so self-love is in and cool. But is it for everyone? 

A fashion brand might find it easy to plug self-love and retail therapy. Can a fintech brand pull it off? Yes, says Mozumdar. “Going solo or self-love can be used strategically by categories where the point of market entry was responsibility or other-dependent. There is now a huge opportunity to get consumers started early on their journey in a diverse set of categories including auto, finance, travel, etc.”

What he is saying simply translates to: Point of market entry ages can now shift downward. And those brands that do decide to indulge the self-loving GenZ consumer can explore how their brand fits into this new narrative in interesting ways. 

Brands could use a similar template to address millennials who function on a different set of values. “We are seeing a generational shift. Millennials are now rethinking their values and attitudes with a healthy dose of inspiration from Gen-Z.” 

Aditiya says there is hardly any risk involved in such communication as the majority of the audience on the internet, typically aged 18 to 30, is predominantly single. 

“With the rise of dating apps and other cultural shifts over the last decade, brands may feel more comfortable engaging with both couples and singles. This expanded pool of potential consumers includes those in relationships, consciously single individuals, and those actively seeking partners, reflecting a broader spectrum of societal attitudes. There are fewer taboo topics within Valentine's Day culture, allowing brands to tailor their messaging to fit various audience segments,” he adds.

Thomas says that only established brands can afford to engage in challenging conversations, while startups or smaller brands may take on such causes as they have very little to lose. However, as in any communication, alignment with core values is crucial for effectiveness.

“Authenticity in brand communication lies in showcasing real stories, rooted in thorough research and avoiding reinforcement of old stereotypes. Curating these stories to align with brand values ensures relevance and authenticity. The choice of story ultimately defines their authenticity,” she adds.