How do Aussies celebrate Valentine’s Day?
REPORT
8 Dec 2024
How do Aussies celebrate Valentine’s Day?

In Australia, Valentine’s Day has transformed from a celebration of love between couples into an occasion to cherish friendships. How have evolving cultural norms and pervasive loneliness fuelled this shift? And how can brands engage with the new rituals and moments surrounding the day?

Kelly Jamieson

Kelly Jamieson founded Edible Blooms with her sister, Abbey, in 2005. It has grown into an award-winning gift delivery company, winning Canstar’s Australian Online Gift Delivery Company award, and was shortlisted for the AFR Boss Innovation Awards. Kelly is an advocate for entrepreneurial women in business and has been awarded multiple state and national awards in recognition of her work. You can find Kelly jumping off the Port Elliot jetty fully clothed, leading a chocolate-eating challenge with her team, or busting out disco moves with her husband and two children.

Fiona Newton

Fiona Newton is an associate professor in the department of marketing at Monash University. She holds a PhD in psychology and her research primarily focuses on consumer decision-making, wellbeing, health promotion, and behaviour change. She has a long-standing interest in equity, diversity, and inclusion in marketing education and practice.

Heidi Bain

Heidi is an Australian writer, whose human behaviour studies led to her fascination with what makes us weirdly human. With a career that’s combined communications, community work, and corporate roles, she’s campaigned for children’s rights in Asia, designed social programmes for vulnerable Australians, and headed up a sales team in the fashion sector. Sometimes you’ll find her in a remote village, quizzing locals about the rituals and traditions that make them uniquely them.