Valentine's Day 2027 falls on 14 February, and for brands that want models or creators in the campaign, the work starts well before the new year. Gifting, beauty, fashion, jewellery and hospitality all compete for the same few weeks of attention, and often for the same talent.
This post covers what the latest spending figures show, what to put in a Valentine's brief, how to plan the lead time backwards from the date, how to agree usage and how to label paid creator posts.
The most detailed public figures come from the US. The National Retail Federation's annual survey with Prosper Insights & Analytics, published on 27 January 2026, expected Valentine's Day spending to reach a record $29.1 billion, up from $27.5 billion in 2025.
Average spend Shoppers planned to spend $199.78 each, up from $188.81 the year before
Who celebrates 55% of consumers planned to celebrate
Biggest categories Jewellery led at $7 billion, followed by $6.3 billion on an evening out
Beyond partners 33% planned gifts for friends and 35% for pets
Where they shop 38% named online as their top destination
These are pre-holiday projections for American shoppers, not results, and the 2027 survey will not appear until close to the date. They still help a brief: the occasion reaches well past couples, and more than a third of shoppers go online first, which is where social and creator content is seen.
A clear brief lets talent and their agents come back with honest availability and fees. For a Valentine's job, it should cover:
The idea Who the campaign is for, whether couples, friends, singles or self-gifting, and the feeling you want
The deliverables Stills, video, cut-downs, stories or creator posts, with the number and format of each
The talent How many people, the look, and whether you need a pair who read naturally as a couple
The dates Shoot date, approval dates and the date each piece goes live
The usage Where the content will run, for how long and in which countries
The budget A range for fees and usage, so the options that come back are realistic
If you want two people to read as a couple, say so early and build in time to cast them together.
A couple shot for a Valentine's campaign
Plan backwards from the day the content must be live, not from 14 February. Gifting messages need to land before the last order dates for delivery, so the real deadline is earlier than it looks.
A simple order to work in:
Confirm the brief and budget Before the end of the year, so casting is not squeezed by the Christmas break
Cast and hold talent Ask for options on the people you like, so their dates are held while you decide
Shoot Early January at the latest for most social and e-commerce work
Edit and approve Leave room for a round of changes, and for creators to post on their own channels
Go live In the weeks before the day, with the strongest pieces saved for the final push
Lead time matters to talent too. The people most in demand are often asked by several brands for the same window, and the closer you get to February, the shorter the list of who is free. Our post on booking creators and models for Black Friday follows the same thinking for that peak.
Usage is what you may do with the content after the shoot, and it is priced alongside the fee. Agree it in writing before anyone is booked.
Media Organic social, paid social, website, email, print, out of home or in store
Territory The countries where the content will appear
Period How long you may use it, from the day it first goes live
Exclusivity Whether talent must avoid working with competitors for a time, which affects the fee
Whitelisting Whether you will run paid ads through a creator's own account
Valentine's content is seasonal, but brands often want to reuse it the next February or for other gifting moments. If that is likely, say so now: it is simpler to agree up front than to go back later. Our teams for model campaigns and talent campaigns can help with casting and usage.
If a creator posts about your Valentine's product, the UK rules apply as they would at any other time. The Advertising Standards Authority and the Committee of Advertising Practice publish an Influencers' guide, now in its third edition from March 2023.
The ASA says that when a brand gives an influencer a payment, a free gift or another perk, the posts come under consumer protection law, and when the brand also controls the content, the UK Advertising Code applies too. Consumers must always be aware when they are being advertised to, and the Competition and Markets Authority says posts must disclose paid promotions and gifted or loaned products.
Responsibility is shared: if the relationship is not made clear, both brand and creator are open to action. Put the labelling in the brief so it is agreed before anything goes live. For more on working with creators, see our guide to UGC for brands.
Checklist
FAQ
Before the Christmas break, so casting and the shoot can be done by early January, with time left for edits and approvals before the content goes live.
Usage is agreed and priced alongside the fee. The wider the media, territory and period, the more it is likely to cost, so decide what you need before you book.
In the UK, the ASA says a free gift or other perk brings a post under consumer protection law, and the CMA says gifted products must be disclosed. If you are unsure, get in touch and we can talk it through.
Send your brief and we’ll come back to you.
Journal
More from the journal
Read all
