With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we have been brainstorming about romance, love and the meaning of both. I think it’s safe to say that regardless of who you are, or where you’re from, Hollywood and Madison Avenue have established that the ultimate romantic setting would most likely include some of these elements:

When Marilyn Monroe breathily announced that ‘diamonds are a girls best friend’, she wasn’t kidding. Elizabeth Taylor set the bar for monumentality in gemstones, but gentlemen, don’t be shy: we’re sure you’re love would be happy with a diamond of any size. ☺

Or, you could just stick to Cognac Briand which, evidently has a clean, clear taste – like diamonds.

Every girl dreams (at least once) of a knight in shining armor (or, in the case of our Alitalia poster, a knight in shining collage!), and if I had to picture what that knight might look like, Hugh Jackman would be pretty close. (Love Hugh Jackman.) Failing that, a nice horse might do the trick…

Chocolate of any shape, size, or level of cocoa content. Chocolate = love. Period.

Our Italian Art Deco period Suchard ads are as delicious as the chocolate they were designed to promote…

The Cote D’Azur has always been associated with romance, and with it’s beautiful beaches, temperate climate and accommodating attitude, it’s easy to see why. Capturing that type of feeling in a poster must have been challenging, but in this rare horizontal poster, one can almost smell the mimosa. Oh yes, that’s another item on the checklist – flowers! Roses, tulips, mimosa … almost doesn’t matter what kind of flowers, but the aroma and beauty of buds has always been associated somehow with love and Cupid.

Because I love words and use mine carefully (most of the time!), I am a fan of the old-fashioned love letter. There is nothing purer or more precise, and, between spelling errors and run-on sentences, nothing more heartfelt. A good love letter would most likely make you feel like the woman in our most favorite and most romantic poster: well-loved, well-regarded, and absolutely the most desired woman in the room. Who could ask for more than that?