CES, Valentine’s Day and 'The Big Game' – Trending Consumer News, Winter Events Edition

A look at the consumer and retail news from PR Newswire in January and February that you might have missed.

 

Consumer News Trends, January-February 2024

 

By Toney Palumbo | Published March 5, 2024

 

During the New Year comedown from the buzz of holiday consumption, exciting annual occasions that rekindle consumer enthusiasm (and spending) and attract outsized media coverage include the Consumer Electronics Show, Valentine’s Day, and the National Football League’s championship game. We have identified these moments as trendworthy topics in PR Newswire clients’ January and February press releases.

With nearly 4,500 consumer- and retail-related press releases sent in January and February, it can be tough to keep up. In this post, we'll take a look at some of the most-read consumer news stories of the first two months of 2024 and break down the big trends.

Some of the Most Popular Consumer Releases

First, here are a handful of consumer releases with some of the highest levels of engagement in January and February:

 

 

Consumer News Trends

Here’s a look at a few of the trends we noticed among consumer-related press releases in January and February, with a few examples of each.

 

CES

One of the first major trade shows of 2024 is the Consumer Technology Association’s CES. Held in Las Vegas from January 9-12, CES was discussed in more than 500 press releases distributed by PR Newswire throughout the last two months.

Much of the CES-related content celebrated product launches shortly after being unveiled at the trade show, like the following:

Several companies distributed multiple press releases throughout the event. LG Electronics USA notably began with a series of CES releases in the days preceding the show, including the following:

While the majority of CES releases were sent out during the event, quite a few organizations announced their trade show plans in advance or spotlighted forthcoming panel discussions.

Several press releases celebrated awards bestowed by the CES organization, including Rezet Technologies Inc's win in the Sports & Fitness category and AgeTech provider Nobi's four awards for its Nobi Ceiling AI-powered Smart Lamp.

Other companies reflected on successes in the post-CES weeks, like Beatbot’s February boast of 1,000 pre-orders following a product rollout at the show. The far-reaching influence of the event was demonstrated many times over as companies referenced their CES 2024 attendance in announcements about appearances at other trade shows.

 

Valentine’s Day

Ah, Valentine’s Day. The all-but-compulsory expressions of affection for one’s sweetheart—and attendant surge in consumer spending—in observation of the romantic holiday create a golden opportunity for brands each February.

The love started early: Build-A-Bear, Manly Man Co., and BRACH’S represent just a sample of Valentine’s Day products being touted as early as mid-January, while White Castle started promoting its “unforgettable Valentine's Day Dinner experience” just four days into the New Year.

Several brands used the upcoming holiday to pitch gifts or experiences for enthusiasts of various stripes: Tillamook County Creamery Association, Pitmaster Collective, and Red Lobster published calls to treat chocolate lovers, barbecue lovers, and lobster lovers, respectively, to their offerings. Also, if you’d forgotten about the amorous qualities of a steak dinner, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association was more than willing to remind you.

And while most people would associate Valentine’s Day “treats” with edibility, less conventionally romantic companies like The Brothers that just do Gutters got into the spirit by encouraging consumers to “Love Your Home.”

Some releases offered tips for executing the perfect Valentine’s Day date. OpenTable identified America’s "Top 100 Romantic Restaurants" and suggested ways to ensure a smooth evening (hint: reservations!)

Meanwhile, Dr Ruth MacPete, aka Dr Ruth "The Pet Vet," urged readers not to forget their furry friends, and Ship Your Enemies Glitter offered a way to celebrate “with a touch of mischief.”

Some other Valentine’s Day announcements included:

 

The Big Game

Practically a national holiday for advertisements, the National Football League’s final showdown of the season is a perennial moment for brands willing and able to drop an average of $7 million per 30-second spot to showcase their goods for a welcoming and sedentary American audience. Advertising during the Big Game is such a phenomenon that behavioral research company Veylinx published an analysis determining their impact on consumers.

Plenty of brands have taken to teasing their game-day advertisements well before the event itself, luring audiences who might not otherwise be interested in sports and convincing the staunchest fans to make their bathroom breaks between plays as quick as possible so as not to miss any Monday morning water-cooler discussion references.

Featuring A-list celebrities from pop stars and iconic athletes to reality TV personalities and Academy Award-winning actors, the commercials are now considered prominent pop cultural moments just as significant as the game itself. Additional examples of major advertisements pre-announced via PR Newswire press releases include:

Several other press releases examined Americans’ consumption habits associated with the Big Game. Here’s just a taste:

Not all of the game releases celebrated conspicuous consumption, however—with an eye toward all those purchased snacks that wind up in the trash, Hellmann’s introduced a “#SickofFoodWasteDay” campaign to encourage people to reimagine their leftovers rather than simply toss them when the party’s over.

 

Takeaways

While the end of any given year gets a lot of attention due to the spending sprint from Black Friday through New Year’s Eve, there are several occasions through the winter months at the top of the calendar that allow brands the opportunity to get their messages out to consumers, and January-February 2024 were no exception. 

Stay tuned for our next consumer news recap!

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About the Author

Toney Palumbo headshotToney Palumbo has been a member of the nocturnal Cision PR Newswire team since late 2017. In his leisure time, he is a prodigious consumer (and sporadic creator) of music.