I am doing some valentines candy packaging concepts and research and was wondering if I could get some information from all of you. I have been making the argument that the heart box filled with candy has a cut off point when it comes to what age the consumer buys it for their significant other. My questions to all of you are, Do you enjoy getting candy or giving candy on valentines day? If so what kind? Would you ever buy or like to receive a heart box of candy? If you do not give candy what else do you give for valentines day?(Let’s try to be clean with this question)
There’s a certain nostalgia about a heart shaped candy box. But any nicely packaged piece of candy works well. Heart-shaped boxes usually appear very poorly constructed, so I tend to go for the nicer shaped boxes for my main gift of candy. But candy is just a filler gift. As are most valentines gifts.
However, I personally give out a bunch of small boxes to all my close lady friends. As many do not receive anything on valentines day, mainly from not having boyfriends. So I like to surprise them with a small box of candy. Its just a habit I’ve had since high school. So this is usually the smallest nice box of chocolate I can buy in bulk.
Maybe it is more a gender issue? I always love getting candies but I don’t see myself leaving a hearth shaped box on my desk at the office.
Even tough it is kind of a classic; I think it is a gift you will give to women more than anything else. I know my girlfriend usually give me a normal square box rather than a hearth shape box at Valentines Day.
I think the most commons things you give on Valentines Day beside chocolate are flowers and maybe fine lingerie.
By the way, If I had candies in an anatomically correct hearth shaped packaging I’d be proud to leave it on my desk!
I think Sain hit it on the head for me. I will not buy a heart shaped box of chocolates for the simple reason they come across as cheap or kitchy. A well designed one might make me change my mind.
VanDeBar, your anatomically correct heart reminds me of a story my Dad used to tell me all the time about him giving a girl that broke his heart in HS a sheep’s heart for Valentine’s Day 
BAH!!! Humbug!!! . … . no wait, that’s Christmas … BAH!!! Valentine’s Day.
I always forget the damned event to begin with, besides, I hate being expected to provide some symbol of sweetness, and undying love to my mate, she never eats the stuff anyway.
Okay, OKAY!!! Maybe a bag of M&Ms Peanuts (since she won’t eat it I might as well buy what I like).
Romantic, ain’t I?
the red shaped box has become a cliche, but you can turn it around by adding rich details to the packaging. Maybe its not a red cardboard heart, maybe its laser-cut white heart that kind of alludes to another valentine’s staple but is still classy and feminine, something that feels special and unique when you grab it. I sure would pass up a red box for something like that.
oooooo…dude…PackageID…if you put out a bag of heart shaped M&M Dark candies…I will pay for your salary in M&M purchases alone…not to mention I will baloon to 350 Lbs in about 5 days.
PS: I will take a mere .5% commission for that idea, thanks
That would be great and the idea has been submitted before. Its hard to Pan coat the candy shell of something like that, but you never know.
Thanks for all the replies. My next question’s, I think I can make the assumption that Flowers is a big part of the day, What kind of flower do you bye? Is it always roses? Do you go with something different? If so, what kind?
I have no doubt its been submitted before. Not rocket science. What makes it any different than a squashed sphere?
It mostly has to do with consistency and quality control. Here at mars we have strict guideline around this. With a lentil (or squashed sphere) you have a lot of surface area and coat evenly. With a heart there is that crease on top where the candy coating could build up or not coat at all.
This is my understanding but I am not a product engineer so I could be a bit off. I’m not saying it can’t be done but it would take a bit of work to be worthy of the M&M’s name.
It always roses, unless I know she likes a specific type of flower. One of my girlfriends use to love Lilies. So that’s what I would get her.
Ms. Green? Green Valentine’s Day candy?!?!?!
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/mars/31278/
Well, now that I understand the reason it makes sense. What do you do for, oh, say, St. Patty’s Day? Red?
A Bah Valentines’s Day gift might be a thing that a bunch of guys like me would buy for Valentine’s Day to make a statement about our less than sentimental view of the day; I could “not” buy a Valentine gift for her, but she couldn’t* be pi$$ed off at me about it because she just got a gift! Win-win!!! Twisted, huh?
Mars Mint 3 Musketeers; I compulsively buy them whenever I see them; absolutely unrelated to this thread, just thought I’d throw that one out.
- Of course I understand that she can, at any time, be pi$$ed, at anything she so desires; I’m not totally delusional.
Mars > Mint > 3 Musketeers; I compulsively buy them whenever I see them; absolutely unrelated to this thread, just thought I’d throw that one out.
They are good!!!
Ick, I don’t partake in vday rituals. But I like the idea of reinterpreting “traditional†concept and symbols. I also wish more chocolate boxes showed off its contents, I never buy boxed chocolates if I can’t see what I am getting. Check out, I believe, Physician’s Formula (?) make up, where consumable is the most important design element of packaging and overall product appearance.
Never Roses. Ever. Too cliche.
I think a thoughtful arrangement of colorful flowers more than does it for Valentine’s Day.
Also note, in general when a woman says:
“Don’t get me anything. I hate Valentine’s Day, you should tell me you love me every day.”
This is a trap. Make sure you get her something, and it had better be good.
With regard to “traps”, and with all due respect to mixed company, gentlemen in the audience should observe, and duly note, the following video presentation; not Valentine’s oriented, but of a generic nature pertaining to any special occasion.
Read up on V-days in Japan and Korea, rather different from the western concepts. Might give you some ideas.
What kind of girl DOESN’T want heart-shaped chocolate boxes for Valentine’s Day?
Albeit, if you’re a guy that could be a little off-putting, but if there’s any holiday where you’re allowed to embrace cliche to its fullest, it’s Valentine’s Day. Give me a bouquet of roses, a mixed tape, and a cheesy love note and I’ll be a happiest girl alive.
And, personally, it’s probably the only day where something written nicely in Helvetica just isn’t going to cut it.
In addition, lillies are always a winner, but only as a complement to roses. Nothing is more depressing then receiving some purposefully anti-traditional bouquet of crap. Or worse, carnations…