Hershey’s Kisses celebrates Valentine’s Day with playful new campaign

This Valentine’s Day, Hershey’s has launched a new campaign, ‘Giving Kisses is Hard, But There’s Hershey’s Kisses!’, exploring the challenges of public displays of affection in India. The campaign positions Hershey’s Kisses as a playful, socially acceptable way to share love, offering a lighthearted workaround for couples navigating cultural hesitations.

The initiative rolled out as a 360-degree campaign, including a digital film, location-based outdoor activations, brand collaborations, and romantic on-ground experiences in Mumbai and Delhi. The digital film captures everyday moments of “love interrupted,” where couples face social constraints but find an easy solution in Hershey’s Kisses, driving home the message: giving kisses can be hard, but there’s Hershey’s Kisses.

Outdoor hoardings in Mumbai used humor and situational cues to reinforce that while some gestures may be frowned upon, sharing Kisses is always welcomed. On-ground, Hershey partnered with Zepto at the Zepto Valentine Prom Party, featuring a ‘Kisses Booth’ where couples and friends could exchange chocolates freely. Social media activations included a collaboration with Close-up on Chocolate Day and Kiss Day, enabling consumers to create personalized music videos via Closeup Love Tunes while gifting Hershey’s Kisses.

Kamy Devaguptapu, Director India & APAC Market, said, “In India, expressing love openly can be complicated, but sharing joy shouldn’t be. This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating the beauty of connection with a playful twist on our name. ‘Giving Kisses is Hard, but there’s Hershey’s Kisses’ acknowledges that while giving kisses might invite judgment, giving Hershey’s Kisses is simple, sweet, and universally welcomed. Our campaign recognizes the cultural realities young Indians navigate while empowering them to share affection in their own way making Hershey’s Kisses the perfect, delightful gesture of love that everyone can embrace.”

Sarvesh Raikar, President (Creative), added, “Many brands have various takes on Valentine’s Day. We wanted to have our own unique little point of view. After all, Kisses are one of the world’s most distinct chocolates. India has always had a strong POV on PDA, and the conversations peak around Valentine’s Day. Unlike the West, kisses aren’t the easiest thing for people in love to give and take. We thought this could be a beautiful, unique space for kisses to own in India’s peculiar cultural context. Giving and receiving kisses needn’t be so hard! It’s, after all, the most fundamental expression of love.”

Through a blend of cultural insight, playful storytelling, and multi-channel activations, the campaign reinforces Hershey’s Kisses as a fun, distinctive chocolate that turns a small act of affection into a moment everyone can enjoy.