This Valentine’s Day, Zales tapped into pure nostalgia and transformed it into something far more enduring with the candy maker Spangler Candy Company, which owns Sweethearts.
In partnership with AOR, Anomaly, the jewelry brand teamed up with iconic candy Sweethearts to launch Forever Sweethearts by Zales, a limited-edition collection that reimagines the classic conversation hearts as wearable keepsakes.
At the center of the collaboration: a 10k yellow gold heart charm set with lab-grown diamonds, engraved with one of three signature Sweethearts messages, OOO LA LA, AMORE or XOXO. The charms were sold in candy-inspired packaging that mirrored the beloved box design and included a surprise message inside, nodding to the element of discovery that made the original candies so iconic.
The twist? The charms were offered in a blind-box format, encouraging self-gifting and reinforcing the campaign’s core message of self-celebration. And consumers responded fast. The limited-edition collection sold out in just 27 hours.
Dang.
“Growing up, Sweethearts were little affirmations you loved to give and hoped to get,” said Amanda Rather, Senior Director of Marketing at Zales. “With Zales x Sweethearts, we wanted to flip that idea and create something fun and nostalgic that reminds customers the most powerful affirmations are the ones they give themselves. These charms are about joy, confidence, and celebrating who you are — whether you’re gifting one to someone you love or choosing it just for you.”
The campaign builds on Zales’ ongoing Own It platform, which encourages consumers to embrace self-expression and confidence every day. Rather than centering exclusively on romantic love, the activation reframes Valentine’s Day as an opportunity for empowerment.
For Anomaly, the collaboration was about pushing beyond expected holiday tropes. “We knew we had to hit the sweet spot for Zales on Valentine’s Day, which meant going beyond the traditional channels and promo messaging,” said Ida Gronblom, Executive Creative Director at Anomaly. “The idea of literally translating Sweethearts candies into limited-edition charms felt like the perfect drive of relevance and urgency, a product so irresistible it would sell out within a week. Little did we know it would happen within hours.”
“We saw an opportunity to turn a beloved nostalgic icon into a modern symbol of self-empowerment,” added Fee Millist, Creative Director at Anomaly. “Just as the sayings that come in a box of Sweethearts® candies are a surprise, so is the message on the Zales charm. Candy may not be forever, but self-love should be.”
The campaign is live across Zales’ owned channels and paid social, supported by influencer partnerships, proving that when nostalgia meets meaning, the result can be both sweet and enduring.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Zales
Senior Director of Marketing: Amanda Rather
AGENCY: Anomaly
- Executive Creative Director: Ida Gronblom
- Creative Director: Fee Millist
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