No fancy new features, no million-dollar ad campaigns, no additional R&D. Just make it in pink.
This is the simple strategy used by numerous companies on the lover’s holiday, and it works. As you can see in this video by CNN, and as you’ve surely noticed yourselves, as soon as Valentine’s Day approaches each new, retailers don’t only change their store displays to red and pink themes, but also the products themselves. Flowers remain a staple gift on Valentine’s Day, as florists see a 450% increase in business, but as technology moves forward and gadgets continue to lessen in price, gift buyers are moving towards items such as cameras and cell phones.
Research and development departments of huge companies work tirelessly to try and develop the next coolest feature or product and to identify the alteration or addition to a product that will inspire people to buy. These companies pay their R&D departments to be innovative and find ways to entice buyers with items that seem to be on the cutting edge of cool, or the next new thing in technological advancement. However, as we can see by the example of consumer trends on Valentine’s Day, the solution isn’t always complex. Sometimes it’s as simple as a colour change.