Love Hearts plans major internet push

Iconic confectionery brand Love Hearts, which is famous for carrying romantic messages on its sweets, is investing in a major online push for its recently revamped website, LoveHearts.com, by advertising on Google and joining the UK’s third biggest affiliate network, AffiliateFuture.

The site will also feature exclusive new ranges of the sweets – the first is a range of Love Hearts-related wedding items, developed after research found that many customers were buying the sweets as wedding favours. Other gift ideas for celebratory occasions – including Valentine’s Day, births and Christmas – are being developed, says Jonny Dee of LoveHearts.com.

LoveHearts.com is owned by confectionery company Swizzels Matlow, which launched LoveHearts.com five years ago. The redesign, which was carried out because the site was “a bit staid” and needed “a new look and new functionality” according to Dee, is by Manchester design agency Creative Vein, which is responsible for Swizzels Matlow’s packaging.

Dee adds that the campaigns on Google and through AffiliateFuture have already paid dividends, with click-through and purchase rates far higher than the company had expected. Dee says: “Increased awareness, interest and traffic to our site has led to an upward trend in our sales. We have invested so much into developing our site, and it has been worth it.”