Valentine’s Day Marketing Done Right: How Morrisons and Leo Burnett Win Hearts (and Sales)

Valentine’s Day is a battlefield. Lovers wrestle with expectations, retailers clamor for attention, and consumers, too often, get it wrong—handing over a calculator, a bin, or, worst of all, nothing at all. This year, Morrisons and Leo Burnett have turned those missteps into marketing gold. With their campaign Get Personal This Valentine’s Day, they haven’t just created another ad—they’ve orchestrated an experience.

The Power of Personalization

Ogilvy himself believed in one unshakable principle: advertising should speak directly to the consumer. It should entertain, inform, and most importantly, sell. Morrisons’ campaign does just that. By mining real-life consumer stories—5,000 of them, no less—the campaign taps into a rich vein of human emotion: the regret of a poorly chosen gift and the hope of making it right. This isn’t just a marketing gimmick; it’s a lesson in emotional resonance.

And what better way to engage than through music? Enter three custom-written love songs, inspired by those very gifting blunders. These tracks—ranging from an R&B slow jam to a power ballad—turn past mistakes into humor and harmony. The result? Shareable content that lives beyond the supermarket aisle, thriving on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify.

The Art of Selling Without Selling

Ogilvy taught us that great advertising doesn’t feel like advertising. Morrisons and Leo Burnett have mastered this by making their products—cookies, tarts, and a dine-in meal deal—the heroes of redemption. They aren’t pushing a hard sell; they’re offering a solution. The message? If you messed up last year, we’ve got you covered.

Moreover, their strategy isn’t confined to one channel. A 20-second TV spot showcases a real-life apology, social media bursts with animated music videos, and a strategic partnership with Elizabeth Day’s podcast How to Date ensures that the campaign isn’t just seen—it’s heard and discussed.

Why This Works

1. It’s built on human truth. Everyone’s been guilty of a Valentine’s Day blunder. This campaign acknowledges that and provides a playful way to fix it.
2. It entertains before it sells. Consumers don’t feel marketed to; they feel understood.
3. It leverages multiple platforms effectively. Social media, digital audio, OOH, radio, and television all work in tandem, creating a seamless brand presence.
4. It gives the audience a role. By crowdsourcing gift-giving horror stories, Morrisons isn’t just talking at consumers—it’s talking with them.

The Lesson for Marketers

David Ogilvy once said, “You cannot bore people into buying your product; you can only interest them in buying it.” This campaign is an exemplar of that wisdom. Instead of bland promotions, Morrisons delivers an engaging, human-driven narrative—one that turns past blunders into future sales.

So, marketers take note: If you want to capture attention, start with a story. If you want to drive engagement, make it personal. And if you want to sell, don’t just push a product—offer a solution. Morrisons has done all three. The result? A Valentine’s Day campaign that wins hearts—and wallets.

CREDITS

Campaign name: Get Personal This Valentines Day

Client: Morrisons 

Agency: Leo Burnett

CCO - Mark Elwood

Executive Creative Directors - Andrew Long and James Millers

Creative Director – Kimberly Gill
Creative Director, Social – Beth Manning

Creative Team – Chaz Mather and Lucy Jones

Creative Content Director – Eleanor Dunne

Content Creative – Rhianna Puddifant

Community Manager – Izzy Hill

Producer – Hector Murray

Head of Planning – Joe Beveridge

Planning Director – Rebecca Priest

Social Planning Director: Ben Obadia

Planner – Omari Green

Business Director – Sophie Garrett

Account Director – Matt Paul

Senior Account Manager – Carys Parry

Account Executive – Jess Lakay

Design Lead – Rupert Knowlden

Designer – Michael Bow

Project Director – Fahed Eichikhe

Media Agency – Wavemaker UK

Business Director – Dan Jannings

Planning Director – Fergus Browne

Senior Marketing Manager, Marketing Comms – Mike Neilson

Marketing Manager, Comms – Stephanie Haworth

Marketing Specialist, Comms – Chloe Obinu

Head of Digital Marketing – Jodie Locking

Marketing Manager, Social Media – Megan Fisher

 Animation production company: Sliced

 Music Company: Ninja Tune

Artist: Dirty Nice