Enlightened Conflict

a strategic look at Valentine’s Day

February 14th, 2010

(a male view of the Valentine’s situation having also accumulated a zillion research data points over multiple beer events discussing everything but Valentine’s Day)

All this talk about Valentine’s Day being created by Hallmark, the myth behind St. Valentine … a massacre for god’s sake.

Confusing. Well … maybe confusing to some but I have put some strategic thought to this whole concept.

Because the thought behind it is really very simple.

Let me walk you through Valentine’s Day from a strategic perspective using the infamous consumer buying system (I am fairly sure I cannot incorporate conflict anywhere in here but I will do my best).

Here’s the situation.

Basically we men are idiots <that is the theorem underpinning>.

Therefore Valentine’s Day plays an important role in a “stimulus-response” type model for men.

The day is a valuable stimulus to stop us from thinking solely with our dumb stick and with some random portion of our brain that isn’t being used for sports, work, alcohol, oogling (not ogling … there is a difference), mindless daydreaming or sleeping. Below you will see a diagram that outlines how we think without Valentine’s day and then with Valentine’s day.

(click on the image for a larger, somewhat more legible version)

Valentine's Day Consumer Buying System

As you see. Valentine’s Day is not something created by Hallmark. Nor is it stupid.

It is an important event with a use benefiting men (kind of like the Super Bowl and March Madness but not as important).

Strategically Valentine’s Day makes sense.

Comments

3 Comments

RSS
  • Brice Blaisdell says on: February 14, 2010 at 1:18 pm

     

    Anyone that’s worked with you knows you love to “map out” an idea just like this before presenting to a client. My only hope is that you never present this “idea map” to a girlfriend…I think you would end up “losing that account”.

  • Jen says on: February 17, 2010 at 10:44 pm

     

    well this certainly explains a lot…

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Enlightened Conflict