Marketing Excuses*
FEB
12

Thursday

February 12, 2026SEVERE

Problem

Valentine's ad competition is bidding up CPMs.

Excuse

1 / 40

Every flower, chocolate, and jewelry brand in America is in the auction right now.

Your CPMs are funding someone's dozen roses.

Holidays

Also in effect on this date

The full docket. Any of these would hold up in a Monday standup.

  • Every mattress and appliance retailer declared a Presidents' Day event at once.

    Holidays · in effect Presidents' Day (5d before through 1d after)

  • Consumers are only buying things that can arrive by the fourteenth.

    Holidays · in effect Valentine's Day (13d before)

  • Nothing that cannot be gift-wrapped is selling this week.

    Holidays · in effect Valentine's Day (13d before)

  • Every brand with a CRM is sending a Valentine's campaign to the same inbox.

    Holidays · in effect Valentine's Day (13d before)

  • Refund checks hit. They're buying TVs, not your product.

    Economy · in effect 02-01 to 03-15

  • Tax refund spending is inflating every benchmark except yours.

    Economy · in effect 02-01 to 03-15

  • Red carpet galleries are outperforming every asset your team has ever produced.

    Media & Culture · in effect 01-05 to 03-15

  • Campaign media buyers are already testing against your exact audiences.

    Politics · in effect 01-15 to 06-30 · election years