Most of us consider summer flings to be fleeting moments of pleasant refreshment and a break from the boredom of everyday life. But what really lies behind a summer romance? It can be a series of spontaneous dates that sometimes develop into a friendship or even a serious relationship. For others, it’s something that lasts just long enough to become a beautiful memory. The topic of summer romances was explored in a study conducted by Hily, a dating app brand, in June this year among respondents in the USA. What conclusions emerged from the survey?
Summer romances are quite common among young Americans. 52% of men and 42% of women have experienced a summer fling, and 48% of men and 30% of women admit to feeling significantly stronger sexual desire during the summer. As many as 75% of men and 37% of women would be open to a short-term summer relationship this year, with 41% of Generation Z and 31% of millennials actively looking for summer flings on dating apps.
Source: Hily.comSummer relationships aren’t just about casual fun—42% of women and 48% of men said their summer romance developed into a long-term relationship. On the other hand, 56% of women and 39% of men admitted they had their hearts broken after a breakup.
For women, the most common motivation for a summer romance is curiosity and the desire to see where things might lead (54%), while men tend to prefer casual fun (57%). Additionally, many associate summer with bolder experiences, with half of the respondents considering it acceptable to have more than one short-term fling during the summer.
Overall, summer offers young people the chance to experiment, have fun, and explore new relationships—whether they remain just memories or develop into serious commitments.
Summer romances in TV ads
Summer is simply the perfect time to tell stories about the sea, the sun, and loving glances. A TV ad can capture this feeling in just a few seconds and transport the viewer straight to the beach or a sleepy summer town.
Brands that use the theme of summer love appeal to emotions—they connect their products with moments of happiness, desire, and joy. And it’s precisely emotions—whether positive, like joy and love, or negative, like fear and sadness—that immediately capture viewers’ attention. The human brain responds to emotional stimuli faster than to rational arguments, so emotion-based advertising has a better chance of being remembered.
Emotions help create associations with the brand and also support building a relationship between the consumer and the brand. Emotions often work impulsively—the consumer doesn’t have to think rationally, but decides based on a momentary feeling. For example, a feeling of happiness or desire triggered by an ad can lead to an immediate purchase. And there’s another plus: the viral effect. Ads that strongly evoke emotions are more likely to be shared on social media, giving the brand additional free publicity. Let’s take a look at some examples of emotional advertisements inspired by summer love.
BMW has more power than a kiss
Sunset, a beautiful woman, a red BMW, and a beach. You could say it’s the perfect summer cliché. And yes, it is. But with a pleasant touch of humour. Through a 2018 commercial, BMW promotes a certified pre-owned car sale with special financing, claiming that you’ll never want to stop driving again. Just like the driver in the ad, who kisses a beauty walking along the beach while driving. Not even a passionate kiss can make him stop.
Video: BMW Certified Pre-Owned Sales Event
Sandal Resorts offers the experience of love at sunset
The Jamaican tour operator and operator of 18 resorts—including locations in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Antigua—Sandal Resorts, chose to focus on sunsets and summer desire as part of celebrating its 40th anniversary. The perfect atmosphere of the commercial is enhanced by the song Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and The Wailers.
Video: Sandals Celebrates 40 Years of Love & Trust
Mattoni helps find “the one”
Taking a significantly more pragmatic approach to summer encounters, Mattoni focused on the phrase “finding the one”. Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a beautiful woman and a summer atmosphere.
Video: Mattoni Melon
Fedex saves the beach wedding
In a story that is part of FedEx’s series called “Tall Tales of True Deliveries,” Joe, a FedEx driver, tells the story of saving a wedding. In the animated spot, he describes how he found a note on the door of the house where he was supposed to deliver a package, instructing him to deliver the wedding rings for a beach wedding. He arrives just in time, as the officiant asks the groom for the rings.
Video: FedEx – Tall Tales of True Deliveries
Dolce & Gabbana can’t get enough of romance
The luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana delights in ads set in summer settings. The beach, the sea, and romance are its favourite themes. This is especially true for the Light Blue fragrance. In the 2025 ad, underscored by the song Parlami d'amore Mariù by Achille Togliani, desire and the promise of summer love literally radiate.
Video: Dolce & Gabbana – Light Blue
But this isn’t anything new. The brand has been using the same music and theme for years. Why? Simply because it works. And considering recent research by System 1, which revealed the positive impact of advertising consistency on sales success, they’re definitely doing the right thing.
Kofola is all about love
When talking about consistency, it’s impossible not to mention the Czech brand Kofola, which excels in consistency—especially with its Christmas campaign I Can See It Already. Besides the winter theme, Kofola has also successfully and consistently ridden the summer wave for years. In 2001, it launched a summer campaign with the slogan “If you love her, there’s nothing to worry about,” which, like the Christmas ad featuring the boar with upturned tusks, became a part of marketing history. The theme appeared in various ads, with favourites including the 2020 ad “Great Love Moves Horns.”
Video: Kofola – Great Love Moves Horns
“We have long cherished love. It is an inseparable part of the DNA of our traditional brand. It has made its way into the hearts of consumers not only through the well-known slogan ‘If you love her, there’s nothing to worry about,’ but also through powerful stories,” explained Pavol Chalupka, Marketing Director of Kofola Czech Republic and Slovakia, in 2020.
Another one of Kofola’s timeless summer campaigns, Nude Beach, was created back in 2006. It gained wide reach and was successfully aired again in 2011.
Video: Kofola – Nude beach
Coca-Cola is your guide to summer love
Light touches, summer vibes, kisses—and of course, a bottle of Coca-Cola. These are the ingredients the famous beverage brand mixed into its 2019 summer campaign, Summer Love. The ad is nicely complemented by the song Move It by The Chantays.
Video: Coca-Cola – Summer Love
Summer love blooms at every age
Romance in TV ads is a powerful tool to reach viewers’ hearts—and open their wallets. A TV ad can create, in just a few seconds, an atmosphere where the viewer feels part of the story. The key factor is emotion, skillfully striking chords of love, happiness, and carefree summer vibes. In this respect, TV advertising is irreplaceable—it combines visuals, music, and rhythm to evoke an immediate emotional response that sells. When people buy a drink, perfume, or cosmetics, they’re also buying the feeling the ad promised. And summer love works so well because it is universal. Who wouldn’t want to experience a summer romance?
In the next article of the series Summer-flavoured TV Ads, we’ll take you into the world of summer fashion and explore how clothing brands have managed to capture the energy of summer in their adverts.