Dive Brief:

• Delivery service DoorDash is working with fast-casual chain Shake Shack on a nostalgia-themed promotion for Valentine's Day featuring 1990s boy band Boyz II Men. The "Love Delivered" effort includes a livestreamed concert, limited-edition menu items and date-night kits to help set a romantic mood for couples, per an announcement.
• Boyz II Men will offer "an intimate performance filled with love jams, friendly conversation and soulful ballads" on livestreaming platform Twitch and DoorDash's Facebook Live channel at 8 p.m. ET on Valentine's Day. In the lead-up to the show, Shake Shack is selling the "Berryz II Men" shake made with vanilla custard and chocolate-covered strawberries nationwide until Feb. 14.
• As consumers celebrate the first Valentine's Day of the pandemic, select Shake Shack locations in New York and Philadelphia, the hometown of Boyz II Men, will offer free Love Delivered kits to customers who order through the DoorDash app or website on Feb. 11. The kit includes swag such as a "Berryz II Men" scented candle and a Boyz II Men concert T-shirt and lanyard, per the announcement.

Dive Insight:

DoorDash and Shake Shack are pooling their resources for a nostalgia-themed campaign as couples celebrate the first Valentine's Day of the COVID-19 pandemic era. Millions of people are avoiding restaurants and bars, many of which are operating at limited capacity because of local restrictions, making Valentine's Day a homebound occasion for lots of couples. By sponsoring a livestreamed concert with Boyz II Men and offering special menu items and branded swag, DoorDash and Shake Shack aim to help people celebrate a romantic evening with food delivered to their homes.

Nostalgic-themed campaigns were common before the pandemic, but the health crisis helped to solidify their popularity as many consumers sought the comforts of the past by turning to familiar brands. Shake Shack and DoorDash are relatively young brands, but that doesn't preclude them from developing a campaign that spurs nostalgic sentiment among many older consumers, or from creating new experiences tailored to the preferences of a younger generation. The companies can reach a broad swath of consumers by hosting the concert with Boyz II Men on Twitch and Facebook Live.

DoorDash has become a bigger advertiser in its push to expand nationwide, and its media investment is likely to grow after the company raised $3.37 billion in an initial public offering late last year. The company also is diversifying outside of food delivery to provide services for a broad range of companies, including local businesses that don't have the financial resources to hire full-time delivery drivers. DoorDash this month promoted those services with its first Super Bowl ad, the centerpiece of a splashy campaign starring actor Daveed Diggs and muppets from "Sesame Street." DoorDash is likely to maintain a strong media presence to support its expansion, and partner with other brands like Shake Shack on future promotions.