Growth Strategy Examples: Valentine’s Day is America’s Fastest-Growing Holiday

How 64% of Ardent Americans Celebrate Love in 2025

In recent years, Valentine’s Day has become the fastest-growing US holiday in popularity. Let’s explore growth strategy examples in the biggest categories for Valentine’s Day:

1. Gifts
2. Candy
3. Dining out (or in)

According to research by Numerator, all major holidays are remaining stable or growing in popularity. For instance, 1% more Americans plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Halloween this year. But Valentine’s Day popularity has grown steadily at 4%, with 64% of US consumers planning to celebrate in 2025.

Growth Strategy Examples:
You Can’t Buy Love (Or Can You?)

Of the 64% of Americans celebrating Valentine’s Day, 96% plan to buy something. Gifts, candy and food top the list, and top activities are giving gifts, going out to eat and cooking or baking at home.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports record spending plans for Valentine’s Day this year at $27.5 billion in purchase intentions. The next-highest amount was $27.4B in 2020, followed by $25.9B in 2023. You may not be able to buy love, but that doesn’t seem to stop many Americans from trying!

Growth Strategy Examples:
Gifts Galore with Flowers, Greeting Cards & Jewelry

In 2025, 55% of Valentine’s Day celebrators are buying gifts. NRF lists the top five gift categories:

1. 56%: Candy
2. 40%: Flowers
3. 40%: Greeting Cards
4. 35%: An Evening Out
5. 22%: Jewelry

There’s some overlap in our growth strategy examples, with Candy taking the #1 spot in gifts and An Evening Out taking #4. We’ll first take a look at flowers, greeting cards and jewelry.

Like every other florist, The Bouqs Co. certainly has a bountiful selection of Valentine’s Day flowers. As a growth strategy example, the brand gets creative with its “Galentine’s Day Sale,” featured prominently on its website:

Encouraging consumers to celebrate Galentine’s Day with flowers could help Bouq’s bottom line blossom. This unofficial holiday is February 13, and is just what it sounds like: a day for female friends to appreciate each other. And Bouq’s is there to help women show appreciation through buying things.

When it comes to greeting cards, Hallmark offers these global statistics:

“Approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged industry-wide (not including packaged kid’s valentine’s for classroom exchanges), making Valentine’s Day the second-largest holiday for giving greeting cards.”

In the Insight to Action article, “Mother’s Day VS. Father’s Day: Pricing Strategy Examples,” we discussed the greeting card brand Lovepop. For Valentine’s Day, this premium brand is offering a “Today Only” special on its website for “$8 Valentine’s Day Cards.”

These cards come from “the vault,” and appear to be inventory from previous years. While it’s not exactly a growth strategy example, it’s a good idea to capture sales from price-sensitive consumers in a hurry (there’s no indication that the “today only” special won’t also appear if one visits the site tomorrow).

Jewelry is on a different level of spending than flowers or greeting cards, as Insight to Action explored in our article “2 Pricing Strategy Examples You’ll Love this Valentine’s Day.” In it, we introduced demi-fine jewelry as a middle ground between fine and costume jewelry.

Kendra Scott is the prime growth strategy example for demi-fine jewelry, which is special yet economical. The company was launched in 2002 with just a $500 investment. The privately-owned company claims to be a billion-dollar brand and boasts 149 stores, along with a thriving online business.

As we draw close to Valentine’s Day, heart-shaped jewelry features prominently in search results. Consumers are also tempted with this offer:

“Get a Free Bonus Product! When you spend $100 or more. ($60+ Value)”

Growth Strategy Examples:
Sweethearts Candy Get Serious

Since 1902, the Spangler Candy Company has been inspiring insipid conversation with Sweethearts candy, with sayings like:

• XOXO
• HUG ME
• LOVE BUG
• SWEET STUFF
• #LOVE
• ASK ME
• And more

 But in 2025, conversations hearts are turning more serious with a new, AI-driven campaign that asks three important questions:

• MARRY ME?
• MOVE IN?
• 4EVER EVER?

Here’s the video:

It’s a sweet growth strategy example that revitalizes a somewhat chalky brand with fun technology. Here’s how the brand describes the campaign, launched January 28:

“Sweethearts, the OG Valentine’s Day candy, is once again leaning into current dating trends with conversation hearts that mean what they say—using scannable AI technology. New research reveals 83% of younger Americans have moved past the blurry ‘situationships’ the beloved brand commemorated with last year’s limited-edition run of ‘Situationship Boxes.’ Hence this year’s encore V-Day surprise. Now, consumers can scan actual Sweethearts candies via sweetheartscandies.com to access moving trucks, marriage licenses and even matching heart-shaped headstones—for lovers who want something really concrete.”

Growth Strategy Examples:
Dining Out (Or In) Across the Fruited Plain

In 2025, Valentine’s Day is on Friday, February 14. For many, this is the perfect opportunity for a weekend celebration, either dining out or in. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, OpenTable released “2025’s Top 100 Romantic Restaurants.” These growth strategy examples are for the 42% of Valentine’s celebrators who plan to “go out to eat.”

• Different Pointe of View in Phoenix, AZ is a mountain-top restaurant with outdoor seating and panoramic views for the ideal romantic setting. Adding to the Valentine’s Day appeal, Executive Chef Aleksandar Knezevic presents a one-day-only dining experience for $139 per person (Hopefully, you’re not looking for date ideas, because this event is completely booked).
• The top-rated restaurant in the list is Steak 48 in Charlotte, NC. It shows that a premier romantic restaurant doesn’t require amazing views to win the love of diners. OpenTable’s AI review summary adds, “Diners rave about the perfectly cooked steaks and delectable seafood options. The attentive, friendly staff consistently enhance the dining experience, making it ideal for celebrations.” Apparently, this popular restaurant doesn’t feel the need for a Valentine’s Day Special, but the weekend is 100% booked regardless.
• In Chicago, Geja’s Café brings the heat with fondue dining. This classic romantic experience is billed as being “a favorite indulgence for Chicagoans as well as out-of-towners.” It’s unique yet accessible, and the Valentine’s Package of $120 per person is completely sold out.

For the 25% of Valentine’s celebrators who plan to “cook or bake at home,” they don’t have to start from scratch. With Boca Restaurant Group’s Domo at Home, Cincinnati lovebirds can cuddle up with a fine-dining meal that requires minimal prep and starts at $270 for two.

This growth strategy example helps a well-established local restaurant brand expand their sales ability for this critical holiday weekend when all locations will be booked up. Add-ons and up-sells for the menu include:

• Wine, champagne and cocktail selections ($20-$75)
• Appetizer options ($30-$220)
• Additional entrees, sides or desserts ($10-$170)
• Kid’s meal options ($14)

From the base meal to functional add-ons (like a kid’s meal) to bougie up-sells (like the “Caviar Galiliee Prime Osetra”), there are at-home meal options for many segmentations of Valentine’s Day celebrators.

These growth strategy examples showed brands that will certainly attract some of the $27.5 billion consumer spending this Valentine’s Day. Insight to Action features more analysis of brands, industries and trends in our Growth Strategy Resources. To start growing your own brand through actionable insights, contact us or attend one of our Open Office Hours events.