Smartbottom, je t'aime ma chérie!

Ah, Valentine's Day.

While I am well aware of the growing cynicism around Valentine's Day being a marketing gimmick (this has some truth to it, but this cynicism makes us marketers feel like its hunting season, and we’re not the hunters), it is still nice to think that all over the world people are stopping to think of their loved ones for a moment. Isn't that a nice thought?

In an admittedly atypical demonstration of my thinking processes, I like to optimistically think that all over the world someone is reminded of what this day is, and they in turn take a minute to specifically smile and think about their loved one. That one moment might buy them a minute more of life before a stress-induced heart attack 10 years from now. That one minute might be caught by the boss during a meeting, convincing him or her that you are in fact paying attention and that you like his or her idea so much that you're smiling at their sheer geniusness, thereby setting things in motion for a pay raise and promotion, allowing your kids to go to a better school and you to buy your loved one a better Valentine's Day gift next year in the hopes that this Karmic-like cycle repeats itself in perpetuity. That one minute might be the best thing that's happened to them all day, all week, all month even.

I just hope the sheeple in line at the Hallmark card store and the Starbucks gift card wall, among other zombie hangouts, don't get so frustrated over waiting in line with the dozens of other procrastinators that they end up taking it out on their loved one in the form of crankiness, or it's more subtle and ugly cousin, resentment. Then all the positives listed above invert to negatives... one less minute of life before the heart attack, a frown for your boss's thoughts, or the straw that broke this work-horse's back, not to mention a hurt loved one.

You see, marketers aren't the enemy. Procrastination is. So, hurry out to your nearest Hallmark store and buy a card! Better yet, buy several, then you're covered for a few years! You'll live a longer and happier life, see!

Sorry, I let the marketer in me take over for a second. In actuality, when I think about how automatic these kinds of holidays are (going out to buy the cliché box of chocolates, a card, and some flowers) I feel guilty because it’s the easiest way to demonstrate your love and appreciation of your loved one. Doesn’t it make you feel like your love is equal to the $13 plus change?

Now I’m not saying you’re lazy or cheap if you think this is a good show of your love. It’s just that it bothered me enough that instead I used Microsoft Word and made a Valentine’s Day card and “Newsletter” for Smartbottom. Sure, some will think I’m cheap, but I put a lot more thought and feeling into these two things than into standing in line, and I was able to personalize every piece of my gifts. I’m sure Smartbottom will really appreciate that.

Anyways, Happy Valentine’s everyone! Don’t forget to smile!