• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer, Yesterday

For the first time ever, the Super Bowl will be played on Valentine’s Day. It’s a matchup that is likely to a) spark romantic dissent of epic proportions and b) take candy marketing into unexplored territory.

The National Confectioners Association expects the intersection to result in all kinds of new behavior. It reports that 87% of consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day some or all years, 83% watch the Super Bowl some or all years, and 75% of survey respondents said they’d welcome ideas on how to creatively combine both occasions.

Expect plenty of chocolate. Ferrero said this week it would invest $50 million in sports marketing next year, including Nutella’s first-ever Super Bowl spot, and Kinder Bueno will make a sophomore appearance.

The company said Kinder Bueno’s campaign last year drove a 140% lift in volume sales.

"We've invested billions of dollars in our North American growth plans, and last year's ad debut proved it's working," said Michael Lindsey, Ferrero North America president and chief business officer, in the announcement. "Building on the genuine momentum from Kinder Bueno and the success of Nutella Peanut, we're in a position to double down on our investment to accelerate portfolio awareness and market share in the U.S.”

There’s no word yet on which other candy brands will suit up to play, but it’s likely to be a crowded field. Mars’ M&Ms, Snickers and Skittles, Hershey’s Reese’s, and Nerds, owned by Ferrero subsidiary Ferrara Candy Co., are all NFL regulars.

“Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl are two high-engagement occasions with distinct traditions, missions, and merchandising needs,” the National Confectioners Association said in its report. “Seven in 10 Americans participate in both, creating risk and opportunity for the industry. The 2027 overlap represents a shift from two separate occasions to a blended, hybrid event. Success will require reduced friction, combined celebrations, and capturing incremental demand through cross-merchandising, integrated promotions, and solutions that meet both gifting and sharing needs.”

While the game is later than ever because of a calendar fluke, it sold out its ad inventory early, back in August. Disney says Super Bowl LXI is drawing 58 brands across 34 distinct categories, including financial services, personal care, software, and yes, candy. It also says this is one of the broadest advertiser and category mixes in Super Bowl history, with nine brands in the game for the first time.