In 2022, DoorDash made a mark on Valentine’s Day by introducing same-day flower delivery from local florists, raising awareness beyond their core food delivery services. However, in 2023, DoorDash aimed to transcend expectations and compete with delivery rivals like Uber Eats and industry giant 1-800-Flowers. To achieve this, they needed a groundbreaking idea that would set them apart. Thus, DoorDash sought to reimagine the concept of Valentine’s Day by selling flowers at the scale of other industry leaders, all while initiating an important conversation around a less celebrated form of love.
Recognizing that most delivery services focus on traditional couples during Valentine’s Day, DoorDash aimed to create its own conversation by prioritizing other, often overlooked forms of love. Self-love, a concept typically overshadowed during this holiday, became the centerpiece of their campaign. To approach this topic with a fresh perspective, DoorDash decided to embrace self-love literally, tapping into the growing cultural acceptance of self-pleasure. With the aim of destigmatizing female self-pleasure, they combined the iconic Valentine’s gift of red roses with the best-selling female sex toy of recent years: the Rose™. Introducing the Self Love Bouquet, DoorDash not only initiated a conversation but also provided a practical solution that empowered women to embrace self-pleasure without shame.
DoorDash recognized that more women than ever were spending Valentine’s Day alone. Their target audience for the holiday was existing consumers aged 18-30, with 52% of DoorDash consumers being women. To give single women permission to enjoy Valentine’s Day to the fullest, DoorDash crafted a narrative that leveraged the existing notions of pleasure, passion, and romance that dominate the holiday, tailored specifically to single women. The key message was clear: Be your own Valentine and buy yourself flowers.
The impact of DoorDash’s campaign was significant, generating impressive social impressions, mentions, and total impressions. The numbers speak for themselves:
963,200 Social Impressions
39,000 Total Mentions
749,000,000 Total Impressions
$17,000,000 Gross Merchandise Volume
$6,000,000 Gross Order Volume for Local Florists (double the previous year)
The Self Love Bouquet sold out within just four days, highlighting the immense success of the campaign.
DoorDash’s daring campaign did not go unnoticed. The PR Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions 2023, one of the most prestigious advertising festivals, acknowledged the campaign’s groundbreaking approach and honored DoorDash for their innovative execution.
