No illusions: Valentine’s Day was born to fill the coffers of commerce

Celebrated on June 12th in Brazil, Valentine’s Day is widely perceived as a romantic date for couples. However, the true genesis of this celebration in the country lies in an astute marketing maneuver, created with the primary objective of revitalizing retail sales in a traditionally challenging month. The initiative became one of the most significant peaks for the retail sector.

This concept emerged in the mid-1940s, in the city of São Paulo, through an action by Agência Standard. The company had been hired by the National Commerce Confederation (CNC) precisely to boost market movement. The result was an almost immediate success, and the date quickly became established in Brazilian culture, consolidating itself as an occasion for the exchange of gifts between lovers.

The intention behind the commercial creation of Valentine’s Day in Brazil

Publicist João Dória, father of the former governor of São Paulo João Doria Jr., is widely recognized as the brains behind the campaign that established Valentine’s Day in Brazil. His genius consisted in adapting a tradition that already existed in other countries to the national economic scenario, conceiving a festival that mixed romantic affection with the encouragement of consumption.

The strategy developed by Dória transcended the mere suggestion of buying gifts. She sought to link the celebration to intrinsic values ​​such as love and unity, encouraging partners to strengthen their bonds. The specific choice of June 12th, the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day, traditionally known as the “matchmaking saint”, was also a crucial factor in the rapid acceptance and popularization of the date, integrating commercial appeal with cultural and religious aspects.

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In 1948, the Standard Agency launched an impactful slogan: “It’s not just with kisses that you can prove love!”. This phrase worked as a direct call for consumers to purchase gifts. The National Confederation of Commerce endorsed the project, which proved to be extraordinarily efficient in reversing the slowness of trade in June, a month that historically recorded few commemorative dates.

Initially, the campaign was concentrated in the capital of São Paulo, but the positive impact was so significant that it quickly spread throughout the country. The success of this commercial strategy was widely studied and served as a model, transforming Valentine’s Day into a notorious marketing case that illustrated the power of advertising in creating and solidifying new consumption traditions.

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Differences between the Brazilian celebration and global Valentine’s Day

Internationally, the date dedicated to lovers is Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14, and its historical roots are linked to Christian and Roman legends surrounding Saint Valentine. The most striking distinction lies not only in the date, but in the context of its origin: while the Brazilian version was driven by a commercial need to boost June sales, Valentine’s Day evolved from ancient traditions, often associated with romantic love and fertility, without an explicit advertising starting point.

Saint Valentine’s Day, for example, is attributed to a priest who allegedly defied the orders of Emperor Claudius II, who had banned marriages to optimize military recruitment. Saint Valentine, according to legend, performed unions secretly, becoming a martyr of love. This historical narrative contrasts sharply with the intentionally commercial creation of the Brazilian celebration, which strategically avoided the commercial congestion of May (Mothers’ Month) and ensured a sales boost for June.