Singles-led content delivers 5.4% engagement as Valentine’s influencer spend rises to ₹75 crore: Report

Valentine’s Day influencer marketing in India is undergoing a structural shift, with content centred on singles, self-love and practical gifting now outperforming traditional couple-led romance, according to a new report by creator intelligence platform Qoruz.

The study analysed influencer content published between February 5 and February 14 across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X over a three-year period. It tracked creator participation, engagement trends, content themes, category performance and estimated brand spending around Valentine’s Day.

Creator participation rises, engagement shows volatility

The scale of Valentine’s Day content has expanded sharply. The number of influencers participating in Valentine’s-related campaigns increased from 32,000 in 2023 to 59,000 in 2025.

Engagement growth, however, has been uneven. Valentine’s content generated 102 million engagements in 2023, which more than doubled to 215 million in 2024, before moderating to 180 million in 2025. The data indicates that while more creators are entering the Valentine’s ecosystem, sustaining peak engagement levels is becoming increasingly challenging.

Influencer marketing spend grows rapidly

Based on creator participation between February 5 and 14 and prevailing influencer pricing benchmarks in India, Qoruz estimates that brand spending on Valentine’s Day influencer collaborations grew at an average annual rate of 40–45% between 2023 and 2026.

Estimated spends rose from ₹20–₹25 crore in 2023 to a projected ₹60–₹75 crore in 2026, highlighting how Valentine’s Day has become a significant moment in the influencer marketing calendar for consumer brands.

Also read: When opting out of Valentine’s Day became good marketing

Singles and self-love content leads engagement

One of the most significant shifts highlighted in the report is the rise of singles-focused and self-love narratives. Content centred on individuals accounted for 37% of all Valentine’s posts and delivered the highest average engagement rate at 5.4%.

Couple-centric romantic content, while still prominent, contributed 35% of total posts and recorded a lower average engagement rate of 3.5%. Gifting-led and practical Valentine’s content made up 22% of posts, while niche and experimental formats accounted for the remaining share.

The findings suggest that Valentine’s Day content is no longer defined solely by romantic couples, but increasingly reflects individual-first interpretations of the occasion.

“One pattern that keeps repeating is how audiences often respond more to content that plays against the occasion, rather than following it straight,” said Aditya Gurwara, Co-Founder and Head of Brand Alliances at Qoruz. “On Valentine’s Day, humour, friendship, and even anti-romance narratives tend to travel faster than traditional couple content.”

Who is driving Valentine’s Day conversations

Entertainment, fashion, beauty and food creators drove the bulk of Valentine’s Day engagement. Entertainment creators accounted for 24% of total creator activity, followed by fashion at 16% and beauty at 15%.

Couple creators made up only 11% of total posts, reinforcing the shift away from couple-first storytelling. Female creators led Valentine’s conversations, accounting for over 63% of all content published during the period studied.

Overall engagement was driven largely by solo lifestyle and entertainment creators rather than niche romantic accounts.

Also read: Despite $1-trillion creator led influence, Live Commerce hasn’t cracked India

How brands are using creators

According to Qoruz, brands are increasingly using a layered creator strategy around Valentine’s Day.

“What’s changing around Valentine’s season in India is not just content. It’s how the funnel is being built,” said Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, Co-Founder and CEO of Qoruz. “Mega and A-list creators are increasingly being used to set the mood and create top-of-funnel awareness, while micro and nano creators drive everyday stories that trigger action.”

Categories and brands leading Valentine’s activity

Gifting and personal care brands led influencer activity, accounting for 24% of total creator participation. Fashion and accessories followed at 21%, while FMCG brands contributed 18%.

Hospitality and sexual wellness brands also recorded meaningful participation, reflecting a broader interpretation of Valentine’s Day beyond traditional romantic gifting.

Brands that showed consistent creator-led activity across the last three Valentine’s Day cycles included Amazon Fashion, Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon India, GIVA, Plum BodyLovin’, Nykaa, Mamaearth, Plum Goodness, TRESemmé and SUGAR Cosmetics. These brands focused on sustained visibility through short-form video, creator-native storytelling and formats that extended Valentine’s narratives beyond February 14.

A broader redefinition of Valentine’s Day

Despite rising creator participation, Valentine’s Day conversations on social media are becoming more selective and concentrated. Content rooted in singles, self-love and everyday moments is delivering stronger engagement, while couple-led romance continues to play a role but no longer dominates the discourse.

Overall, the report indicates that Valentine’s Day influencer marketing in India is moving away from spectacle and towards familiarity, mirroring how audiences increasingly experience the occasion in personal and varied ways.