Valentine’s Day is the “dumbest” holiday of the year according to the German-owned Czech supermarket chain Kaufland which has launched a rather bizarre advertising campaign against what it calls a “stupid and pointless” American celebration.
The Kaufland anti-Valentine’s adverts, appearing on social media visuals and the store’s website feature a bloody pork heart with beady eyes next to a number of less-than-inspirational sayings like: “Love burns,” “Don’t forget to activate your fire extinguisher,” “Love is like a box of chocolates, first it’s sweet and then it makes you throw up,” and “If you can’t live without love try living without oxygen.”
The hashtag #rozehřejsrdce (warm your heart) is included alongside the controversial images which have been garnering some negative feedback on social media, particularly from vegetarians and animals rights activists.
The campaign also has its supporters: One commenter applauded Kaufland for a great PR initiative showcasing the black Czech sense of humor while another individual wrote that he can see the company really put some “heart” into its most recent marketing campaign.
Yet another fan created a riff on the Kaufland signage meant to resemble the widely used heart logo of former Czech President Vaclav Havel:
When the supermarket posted the raw-meat images last Thursday, a Kaufland spokesperson said: “This year we would like to support those who are fed up with Valentine’s Day and regard it as an absurd feast.”