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        The city is gearing up for Corporation re-election slated for 18 February and naturally the candidates are enduring an anxiety-filled time. However, another group of people are also biting their nails as Valentine's Day falls on this week itself.

        And targeting the love-lorn youth set are various companies, offering fabulous schemes as part of marketing strategy. For instance, a mobile service provider has advertised saying 'gift a song for your valentine'. Another popular restaurant says this valentine's fall in love all over again and offered its customers 'romantic bonfire on the beach, lady bartenders, and many more'.

        Suresh, a software engineer, says, it is all becoming a love for the material kind. 'At the risk of sounding judgmental, I have to say there is an element of overkill in the marketing blitz.' But does he celebrate the Valentine's Day. 'Yes,' but for a different reason. 'My son's birthday also falls on this day'.

        Animated greeting cards, heart-shaped balloons, chocolate-dripping pastries, rosy knickknacks ...everything is laid out for the Cupid-struck. 'But the way it is going, it is more for the Mammon-struck,' says Varsha, a student in a popular college, trenchantly.

        'To show the love and affection, one doesn't require to spend some money, just going out with your dream girl would mean a lot', Kishore, a youth, opined. These days even a five-year-old talks about Valentine's Day. 'I am appalled as what marketing can do,' he adds.

        But the companies which ride piggyback on Valentine Day frenzy couldn't care less. 'This is a free market. We can use every opportunity that comes our way. Too bad, if you don't love this,' says a marketing manager of a FMCG company.