The very concept of modern love is a flawed human experience. We seek days like Valentine’s Day to embrace one another, to show empathy and care. But do we really need one day of the year to show this level of emotion?

You probably realize how contradictory this sounds coming from the person who commercializes people, products, experiences, spaces…

From every crevice of my being, our societal expectations and pressures of love in all it’s forms do more to divide rather than unify friends, couples, colleagues, families—turning what should be intimacy and tenderness into some sort of performance metric.

Yet to me, there is a subtle but critical difference between commercialization and the erosion of taste, principle, and ethical restraint.

→ The neighborhood floral boutique is selling the same bouquet of flowers from last month with a 55% increase…all because it’s Valentine’s Day.

No difference in packaging (except a ribbon with hearts, wow).
No change in design, features, or inclusions.
Exactly the same bouquet, but at a higher margin.

→ A private floral atelier offers a combo of existing and bespoke floral-scapes, differently priced, yet delivering a 300% trust increase without the added confusion…yes exactly, because it’s Valentine’s Day (but also, like any other day).

Definite distinction in presentation: packaging that is special in texture, designs that stand out from the typical bouquets, features and inclusions that elegantly communicate care and elevated taste.

One is feeding on neighborhood capital.
One is building relationship capital.

They are not the same.

From a human to human perspective, it transcends cultural, linguistic and national boundaries, with its interpretation often coming through actions rather than words.

In the commercial sense, we have to recalibrate the message of love in a way that speaks directly to the receiver. The ritual of love is cheapened the second an entity is confined to money alone.

But the proof is in the pudding, because:
77% of customers choose or recommend brands with personalized brand experiences.
Customers with favorable past experiences spent 140% more than customers with negative experiences. 64% of US consumers feel organizations have lost the human touch of customer experience.

It means that you don’t have to be a florist or a gift shop to deliver love and a deeper meaning of care for Valentine’s Day and beyond.

It means that the power rests solely in the hands of those that adopt LOVE as a business strategy, focusing on empathy and culture. That’s how this universal language is brought into practice.

The top 4 ways to incorporate these “love-points” are: words of affirmation (recognition), quality time (deep listening), acts of service (proactive support), and receiving gifts (appreciation gestures).

This shift from transaction to human-to-human marketing suggests that all buying has emotional components, but when we strip down the surface level fairytales back into reality, our customers, clients and colleagues really need REAL LOVE, and this includes:

Now, if you can’t point to how each of these is operationalized inside your brand, they don’t exist 👆

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Valentine’s Day spending in the US was predicted to reach a record breaking $29.1 billion this year (from $27.5 billion in 2025).

If we spend $29 billion in one day to prove our love, what would happen if we practiced it quietly, consistently, all year long? Wouldn’t the dividends multiply?

Remember: Relational capital compounds daily, or not at all.

And for the love of God, stop love-bombing your customers and colleagues into oblivion with excess features and perks. That isn’t a strategy.

Instead → Build trust. Build reassurance. Build systems that earn loyalty.

The deeper dive continues below (or we can design a system/strategy tailored to you).

(Read The Future Economics of Romance & Relational Capital Deep Dive from Five-Course Tasting 👇 )

…but here is one way to start playing in the art of love. Start by saying “thank you” in the simplest of forms. A handwritten note goes further than a computerized email or text. Technology shapes our future, but it is personalization that builds on it internally.

Why I’m obsessed with this lovely stationary set:
⚫ Satisfyingly textured paper, soft and thick, to the touch. Excellent for making impressions count (324 gsm).
⚫ Made of premium, ethically sourced and plastic-free packaging and paper sourced from forests that you can recycle at home
⚫ A soft scalloped edge adds a touch of charm, inspiring thoughtful messages and heartfelt thank-you’s
⚫ Personalize these to perfection with your name and contact info (or gift with style)

Caviar rarely has to prove itself. Be like caviar…