The time of year has come again where it’s impossible to avoid Valentine’s Day marketing campaigns. 

Gen Z is navigating Valentine’s Day with mixed feelings. Most Gen Zers say they’re not ready for a relationship, but the majority wants one. Some are in situationships, many are in their self-love era, others are getting engaged, and lots are single or celebrating their friends. 

The way that Gen Z is embracing independence may lead you to believe that this generation would roll their eyes at traditional Valentine’s clichés, yet they do crave gestures that make them feel thought of and appreciated. Flowers remain one of the most desired gifts, but only when it feels personal, intentional, and not just another box-ticked tradition.

Source: Create Gift Love  

Representing all kinds of love

With Gen Z and Millennials making up the majority of DoorDash users, we knew that this year’s Valentine’s Day campaign couldn’t be framed around one narrow definition of romance. We aimed to encourage celebrating non-traditional expressions of love that feel intentional without being over-the-top.

Gen Z’s relationship with gifting is shaped by last-minute behaviour and low-pressure expectations. Humor, authenticity, and peer validation matter far more than grand romantic statements, and influence flows through micro-communities led by real, relatable creators.

That insight shaped a creator roster designed to represent love in all its forms, while showing how DoorDash is the solution for getting a suitable Valentine’s gift for anyone in your life delivered straight to your door. 

• KB sharing his love for food with his wife 

• Mei Mei celebrated her grandmother PoPo's first Valentine's Day

• Makenzie and Malia showed that distance doesn't stop them for showing up for their sister 

• Talia made Galentine's Day special for her daughter 

The creators posted their content across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts, supported by paid placements on Pinterest, Meta, Snapchat, and YouTube, to reach audiences that were looking for inspiration, entertainment, and community connection. The campaign reframed gifting as something inclusive, casual, and deeply human. 

DoorDash shifted perception from a food delivery app to a pressure-free gifting partner by representing all kinds of love through creators who genuinely lived those stories. 

Because love doesn’t look one way. And with DoorDash, neither does Valentine’s Day.

Reach out to us at hello@digitalvoices.com to learn how you can show up with influencers beyond stereotypical campaigns.