📸: Pringles
Valentine’s Day aka Valaza (eiii South Africans 😂) is not a single romantic moment; it’s a season. It plays out across messy timelines, jokes, “friendly warnings,” memes, and public debates about love, effort, and expectations.
Every February, oro monthly, we joke that mjolo wa nyisa. But behaviour tells a different story: people still care, they’ve just changed how they express it. With Valaza falling on a Saturday this year, the occasion is stretching into iWeekend Enkulu on socials, retail, and IRL moments. Here is what I’m seeing on the timeline and how brands are showing up.
Move over Valentine’s, Galentine’s is taking over
Last year’s Vogue’s viral article “having a boyfriend is embarrassing” and Vogue India’s response positioning best friends as the new boyfriends show that Galentine’s is becoming a strong contender for Valentine’s Day even if its the day before. Friendship groups are plan to do their own thing to celebrate singlehood (the guys are doing Guylentines too). Love now lives in many forms and self should be talked about.
Converse did this very nice campaign last year celebrating self-love. I expect to see similar campaigns along these lines.
What the data reveals about love in South Africa
An IPSOS survey revealed that South Africans are more satisfied with their love lives than the internet would suggest. 80% of South Africans report being satisfied with the love in their lives, above the global average.
65% are satisfied with their romantic or sex lives, still strong, but under pressure globally. Among married or partnered South Africans, 87% report relationship satisfaction.
South Africa ranks 11th globally on the Love Life Satisfaction Index.
How Valentine’s Is Showing Up this Year
What I’ve Been Seeing on the Timeline
I started seeing the Valentine’s promos early January when my ghel Riri let us know about her Savage X Valentine collection. She’s acting like PEP 😅 ene I love it!
A PSA went out for girlies who started their periods, and Mpumi’s “Don’t go to that man’s house on Valentine’s Day 😛” post kills me le nou. Apparently God is preparing kids for Valentine’s Day 😂, so if you’re not trying to get preggies, be careful.
Ba re men in tech are the new romantics because they make real efforts. The non-tech guys? They are using ChatGPT to talk to potential partners. People don’t know how to shela anymore… no wonder AI boyfriends are coming to life in China. Kuningi.
In the music world, Sam Deep’s Shela dominated 2025. He shared that he is open for “The Month of Shela” bookings. I hope bo chomi at Engen (akere that’s is where people see their soulmates when travelling) or Zulzi (who did a nice campaign with Sino Msolo last year) collaborate with him. Brands need to own this soundtrack.
Expectations are low. The girlies have pre-empted that they aren’t getting big bouquets or new phones, just a “Happy Valentine’s” text. Ke sono. But the guys? Bolova are excited. They know they’ll be getting soccer jerseys, PlayStations, and iPhones. Heeee, nahana if adidas had launched the Bafana Bafana kit before Valentine’s; the guys would be kitted up and ready for the World Cup match le Mexico. Maybe they’ll get gift cards to buy later 🤔
There’s also been a lot of talk about effort. Impressing your crush with cooking skills is a big thing. At the same time, people are still mocking singles for not getting Valentine’s gifts 😂 re tla reng. Valentine’s pressure is very much alive and kicking.
Early Risers
Global Brands
Savage X launched valentine’s collection (they hosted an invite only Valentine Supper on IG and TikTok live… ene I missed it 😒); McDonalds launched “McNugget Caviar Kits” for Valentines (bathong 😅 I wonder ba fihlile jwang here?); Obsessed with this proposal by Knorr… yes I will 🥰; SKIMS have limited-edition intimates and sweets; M&Ms helping you gift; LOOOVe these personalizable cans by Bloom; Olipop tapping into love languages; Drink Garage Beer made some Valentine cards; Dunkin made tins for collecting and KitKat dropped theirs; Lovisa showing off their sterling silver and Valentines Picks; Cartier says love is red; Lego is doing building dates for Valaza (as a kidult, ke na le FOMO for this 🥹); Love this transition by Post It... so true (and their heart-shaped notes are so cute)
Zara launched a “Expressions Of Love” collection; Benefits Cosmetics asked Love Wellness to be their valentine; Tesco is giving stranger flowers; Love this Urban Outfitters heart-shaped vinyl; Rynair giving valentine tips (their gift card promos make my day 😂); Kripsy Kreme also has a vallentines collection; Bose asking us to be their valentine; Vaseline is on the market and making kissing a thing like Colgate; Icetea will be making plushies for likes and telling us to let mango 😅👌🏾; Dancing chocolates FedEx?; Tiffany And Co has valentine treats; Instagram know crushes are a thing; Tropicana Juices have recipes that will get us blushing
Pandora’s valentines has the song on; Target are giving away Gal-O-Gram items for free; Calm saying they all matter this valentines; Dominos making pizza lovers seen; Maltesers proposing us for Galentines; Knorr and KitKat is asking “will you? with their product”; Little Caesars are all about self-love; The copy on this Linktree post 👌🏾; Pizzahut partnered with Backstreet Boys for their heart-shaped pizza; Ring Pop asking us to be their valentines; Have toxic exes? Dunkin turned that into a drink; Burger King is tapping into love languages;
Local Brands
American Swiss asking “What’s In Swiss The Box?”; City Lodge Hotels planning ahead knowing iWeekend enkulu; I think Roman’s Pizza was touching on Valentine here; Lego “Feathr Mate For You” campaign replicating how people find love on Tinder; Standard Bank is highlighting wedding costs (yazi I remember it being a competition? Maybe I’m wrong); Sheetstreet is inviting us to “Share The Love”; Woolworths is sharing date night spoils; My fave Checkers 60Sixty has another collaboration in the bag and this year its PS (they had Aero last year and this is also so perfect); Ohhh Orlando Pirates 😂 you know “bolova” wants this jersey for Valaza (my queen Mamkhize made an iconic sound for us with this speech)
Ayana launched their first lingerie collaboration (they also had an IRL experience, love that); Bolt is doing “love promos’ for couples, singles and galentines with “Love In Every Ride” (and doing an experience for galentines; Greyhound and Fly Safair know y’all are planning di weekend getaway; Sterns focusing on first dates; Thabooty’s reminding us they have lingerie; PEP brought the kiddies to play (and the girlies are doing galentines); Kiss and tell?! Yes Skoon; Carrol Boyes doing gift guides; This Woolies coffee date video is so cute (they are also doing galentines outfit inspos); Pick n Pay Clothing is doing “V-Day Outfit” ideas (they have a work edition uhhhh); Jet showing us their February mood; PEP Home is getting you ready for Galentines; Ba re “Love is on the menu” ko Mr Price (and dinner is on them)
Oh So Heavenly have their famous gift sets ready; Pick n Pay is giving shoppers a chance to show their love notes on the app; Krispy Kreme has cute “Love At First Bite” doughnuts and “Love At First Sip” chiller; Takealot is celebrating the month of love; MrD is delivering love; Twinsaver is rewarding perfect date stories guiding you to the perfect gift; Douwe Egberts are focusing on love languages… le AI boyfriends; Dulux is rewarding putting love in your home; Sweepsouth is asking you show some love with love letters; Food Lovers Market says Valentines is made simple; Someone says frozen yoghurt? Laager Rooibos did with “Love At First Scoop”; Ackermans has the perfect fir for Valentine’s confidence and they have kiddies talking about Valentine snacks; Defy wants you to find hidden hearts; Romans Pizza doing Sava Flava pizza
Havaiana’s is leaning into couples stories; Oriflame chose pieces for Valentines; Jam Clothing is sharing the love; the besties at Era are doing Galentines; KWV Wines is reminding us to romanticize our lives this month; Bash and Edgar’s is suggesting gift ideas, last minute shopping and notes to that special someone; Pizzahut say love is a sweet deal; Huletts is focusing on lessons on love; Today says they are baked with love; Hinds wants us to fall in love with flavor; Mariestopes says love isn’t always about romance; Le Creuset says their flower is the one we want; Budget (they are all about self-care) e r re we must love them this month; Toyota made cute valentine cards; Fourways Mall is inviting us to valentine experiences; Engen is also doing love languages; “Valentine is coming” Dove; Love Truworths‘ AI reference 👌🏾; Zulzi is asking us to be their Valentine, chomi yessss 🥹 and they are spotlighting self-love hee; A card to shop? yes Edgars; Guess is serving handbags; Bugs ba re “be My Bugintime” 😅👌🏾 are you swiping left or right on the Bug Hug?
SofnFree reminds us that our scalp needs love as well; Oreo also asking us to be their valentine; Sending a valentine gift overseas? Courier Guy can handle it; Saints Wine is here for celebrations; Which valentine sip are you? WCellar is asking; MUM focusing on self-love; PNA valentine stories not just from couples; Typo are focusing on handwritten letters and designs; Lego giving instructions for love; Golden Cloud doing self love supper recipes and Jungle and Fattis & Monis are doing galentine (putting these together coz they have the same creative, I think they are collaborating); Perfect Choice says love is in the hair; This is an interesting collaboration between Tshepo Jeans and Pantry; FNB is trying to find out how we used to show love before eWallets; Darling Hair letting the gents know to not only buy flowers; Love this version of flowers by Truworths Men and just like Orlando Pirates, they know what their people want; BNG had their Valentine brunch event; Miway is saying Valentines is simple; Cell C is doing Galantines; Mini hoping bae buys us cars this valentines; Essense suggesting what to get for valentines;
On The Day Soldiers
I’ll be doing an IG story thread on Valentine’s Day so look out for that on my highlights. It’s gonna be a busy weekend!
Late Comers
I know there will be brands posting di “Happy Valentine’s Day” post the next day… I’m saving a spot for them here 😤
A Standing Ovation To Pringles, Netflorist and KFC
Pringles “Pringleleo”
Just as I thought. Sabrina Carpenter’s Super Bowl boyfriend, Pringleleo, has made it into Valentine. Love this extension of his story into other cultural days. He announced his “break up” with Sabrina and jikijiki is asking single people to go on Valentine dates lol still love him 😅
Netflorist “Set Love Free”
They have been prepping for Valentines since January and I’m so mad I missed this ad then. I admire how super bold this team is with this ad and you know what… they are not wrong 😂 we’re just not used to local brands being this raw because ke sure the insight is what they are showing. High five to the team! Also this Grammy reaction 😅???
KFC “Keep Love Simple”
I love when a brand goes all out for a cultural day!!!! This one is for the real lovers hee! The ones that make the effort first and still get it right when all fails (hape South Africa loves this chicken brand 😅). It’s a “yiyo” from me!
Side Eyeing These Brands
I know some brands will kept it very safe with “Happy Valentine’s Day” posts… ke ba emetse.
Patterns, Trends, Predictions
Global vs local brands
Globally, Valentine’s Day is being turned into a longer shopping season, with early launches, fun ideas, and gifts made to be seen and shared. Locally, Valentine’s feels more like a real-life moment, part of everyday routines, budgets, friendships, jokes, and weekend plans. While international brands often treat love as something to show, South African brands tend to treat love as something you do: showing up, making a plan, helping out, and taking the pressure off.
Some tips for this year?
- Start early, but don’t exhaust the moment
- Design for groups, not just couples
- Help people show effort, not perfection
- Romance is AI-assisted now, help bring the human touch
- When Valaza lands on a weekend, experiences beat objects (haiboo where are the bush getaway competitions???
So, over to you: Which campaign did you like?
Which brand will win or won the dating Olympics for you, and which one made you ask “bathong”? Let me know in the comments!
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