After years of poking fun at Valentine’s Day, Cadbury 5 Star has taken an unexpected turn. The brand, known for its “Eat 5 Star. Do Nothing” philosophy, has announced it is ‘ending the war’ against the occasion and attempting to ‘restore’ it.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnkpzYoqfYM

Conceptualised by Ogilvy, the campaign began with a teaser announcing that 5 Star would spend its marketing budget sponsoring one million Valentine’s Day dates. The move marked a dramatic shift for a brand that previously encouraged audiences to avoid the hype-including last year’s “Destroy Valentine’s Day” push.

The reveal, however, carries a familiar 5 Star twist. The brand claimed to have consulted experts to research the origins of Valentine’s Day and design the “ideal” itinerary as its creator might have envisioned it. By sponsoring one million such research-backed date packages, the campaign promised to bring the day back to its pure form-before undercutting the premise with a tongue-in-cheek reveal that reinforces its long-standing “Do Nothing” stance.

Nitin Saini, Vice President – Marketing, Mondelez India, said the campaign evolves the brand’s playful mischief by inviting consumers in on the joke while staying true to its core positioning.

Sukesh Kumar Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India, added that the idea deliberately takes the brand in an unexpected direction, only to deliver a subversive twist.

Supported by a digital platform where couples can sign up for the sponsored dates, the campaign continues 5 Star’s tradition of disrupting Valentine’s Day narratives-this time by pretending to embrace them.