V-DAY

This last week, we survived the 14th of February, that's right- V-DAY. I'm not one of those crazy people that either loves Valentine's Day more than anything, nor one of those people that despise it with my very core, and thus call is Singles Awareness Day (SAD). It is nothing more than a simple "holiday." The main issue I have with Valentine's Day is that it says that on 1 day in particular we should tell people how much we value them, and quantify that love with some sort of gift (i.e. chocolates, flowers, jewelry, etc..). To me, the "spirit" behind V-Day should not exist just once a year, but year-round if the feelings expressed are sincere. What I find amusing is the way companies can exploit this once a year occurrence for gains. I just know that somewhere in a large office a large man in an incredibly expensive suit just smiles away because he works for Hallmark. Hallmark is just one of many companies that instills a sense of fulfilling the desires and needs that people require on Valentine's Day. In the video below, you'll notice that Valentine's Day is not directly referenced or mentioned. However, I saw this ad (and variations of it) numerous times in the week before Valentine's Day, and have yet to see it since. The idea is that we (the consumers) need Hallmark's cards and products in order to tell the people we care about how we feel. Call me crazy, but while cards are nice and sentimental, I tend to enjoy and find more sincerity in telling people how much I care about them face to face, and more than once a year. I am not bashing Hallmark. In fact, I believe they are geniuses. They have achieved what marketers desire. They have convinced consumers that something entirely unnecessary is a need and not just a want. It works because it appeals to the most irrational aspects of us: our hearts (another way of saying our emotions).