With Valentine’s Day nearing, retailers have started pushing chocolates through massive marketing campaigns.
FROM KOREAN TIMES
Department stores are offering premium chocolates from around the world. Lotte Department Store in downtown Seoul launched its “chocolate festival,” offering haute European brands such as Hugo et Victor and Fauchon from France, Pierre Ledent and Godiva from Belgium and Laderach from Switzerland. There will be a presentation session by chocolate chefs on Valentine’s Day as well.
Hyundai Department Store offers a “Love Valentine” event at its branches nationwide, presenting diverse desserts, as well as gifts to go with the chocolates such as perfume and lingerie.
Shinsegae Department Store is promoting La Maison du Chocolat, a luxurious chocolate brand from France and also Japan’s Royce’ chocolate as its top picks for Valentine’s Day.
Shinsegae is also accessing consumers through its retail outlet chain E-Mart and supermarket chain E-Mart Everyday as well as its convenience store chain With Me. E-Mart has introduced chocolates to its packaged food brand Peacock.
Retail outlets are focusing on selling imported chocolates at reasonable prices. Homeplus, for instance, offers around 800 kinds of chocolates from 30 countries at up to a 50 percent discount. Homeplus explained that chocolate sales in February are twice the average monthly sales, and four times higher than the slow season. Its strategy for this year is marketing diverse options at reasonable prices.
Restaurant chains have prepared diverse dining options targeting lovers during Valentine’s Day. The Steak House by VIPS is offering a special meal using Ghirardelli chocolates. Texas de Brazil, which specializes in Brazilian Churrasco, is holding a “Lovely Weekend” promotion between Feb 12 and 14. All lovers visiting the restaurant will be offered sparkling wine and chocolate fudge cake.
Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in East Asia as a day when men get chocolate or presents from their girlfriends, but it seems that custom is changing. According to Shinsegae Department Store, the ratio of chocolate sales to male shoppers has been increasing for the Valentine’s Day season during the past three years. In 2013, only 14 percent of those who purchased chocolates were male, but the ratio soared to 31 percent last year. As Shinsegae expects the ratio to reach 40 percent this year, the department store is focusing on offering diverse products as gifts for both men and women. Sales of cosmetics, bags and fashion accessories, which are typical gifts for females, also marked double-digit growth during this season last year.
According to a survey by Career, a job market information provider, the gift that men want most for Valentine’s Day is a wallet, followed by any item representing the relationship such as couple’s rings. Chocolate ranked third, and IT devices fourth.
1. Did You have a nice Valentine's day? How was it?
2. In addition to Valentine's day, Which day do You know more on Feb 14??
3. Which holiday do You like the most and least? Why??
4. Among weekdays(except for weekends), Which day would You rather like?
5. Given that You're given a present by someone, Which one do You want and Who do You want to be given(ex. Movie stars, Parents, Idol stars etc..)?