As February 14 rolls around, the atmosphere is buzzing and people are eagerly counting down the days till Saint Valentine’s Day. While romantics dream up the perfect date, last-minute planners are scrambling to book a restaurant and find the right gift.
Whether you are a neighbourhood florist, restauranteur or petrol station owner, don’t miss this opportunity to maximise key moments and win people’s hearts this romantic season. Here are a few insights to help you woo your customers over:
Insight #1: The gift of love. In recent years, Valentine’s Day has become more and more important in Malaysia, and gift-giving seems to be the new love language. Couples are splashing out to show their love, with men traditionally spending more than women. Many are also choosing to celebrate by going on “romantic getaways”. According to a study, spending on travel via plane, car or train during Valentine’s period has increased by 49% since 2016. As a business, think of how you can orchestrate unforgettable moments for couples by offering romantic packages for two.
Insight #2: Better late than never! When it comes to gift shopping, Malaysians are leaving it to the last minute. According to Google’s 2019 internal data, searches for Valentine’s Day increased fivefold one week before the holiday, and peaked on Valentine’s Day. Furthermore, 28% of Valentine’s Day purchases happen on February 14 itself, and navigations to gift shops are 60% higher than on an average day. Remind consumers to plan ahead by starting your campaigns two weeks early, and ramp up your marketing efforts closer to February 14 as more people actively hunt for gifts.
Insight #3: What does your heart desire? Malaysians want traditional Valentine’s Day gifts. Google has revealed that the top generic searches include jewellery, perfume, wine and flowers. And even as online shopping gains popularity, people still prefer going to retail stores as they enjoy the experience of shopping in person. Navigations to flower shops rose 470% while navigations to jewellery stores grew 25% compared to a typical day. Steer Malaysians away from the typical presents by positioning your products or services as an ideal Valentine’s Day gift. Tap into customers’ romantic side and highlight the uniqueness of your offering to convince them that yours is the one.
Insight #4: Food is the way to the heart. Food is certainly the language of love in Malaysia. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Malaysians take their date out for a sumptuous meal on Valentine’s Day. Across the board, navigations to food locations grew significantly on February 14 compared to an average day: a 35% increase for bars, 30% for restaurants and 25% for fast food joints. As a food and beverage business, woo crowds to your restaurant with seductive offers and seasonal menu items they can’t resist.
Navigations to food locations increase significantly during Valentine’s Day
Insight #5: A date at the mall. Expressing your love doesn’t end on Valentine’s Day! The celebration continues over the weekend, as couples drive out to spend quality time with their significant other. Where do they drive to? Shopping centers! In 2019, 17.9% of navigations during Valentine’s Day weekend were made to shopping malls. With a variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment options under one roof, there are plenty of activities for couples to do on their date. Take advantage of the crowd and offer customers special promotions or one-of-a-kind experiences to make their time worthwhile.
Insight #6: Cash out to splash out. To prepare for a day of spending at the mall, Malaysians head to the bank to withdraw cash. Trips to banks and ATMs made up 14.9% of total navigations during Valentine’s Day weekend last year, revealing that cash is still an important payment mode in the country. Seize this opportunity to make your brand more visible and attractive, especially if you are located near these cash points.
Insight #7: Fuel up! In 2019, 22.7% of total navigations were made to gas stations during Valentine’s Day weekend, making it the top destination overall. With couples out and about, many stop at petrol kiosks for a quick refuel. Turn these pit stops into opportunities for your brand by grabbing customers’ attention and directing them to your locations.
We hope that these insights have inspired ideas on how to capture your consumers’ hearts this Valentine’s Day. For more information on Waze’s unique ads solutions and how loyalty can help your business to stand out to customers, please visit here.
