Land of 10,000 Valentine pitches

Anything can be news on Valentine's Day, if you spin it right.

Welcome to the Star Tribune mail bag, where companies work to convince you that the story they want to sell is, in fact, a Valentine's Day story. Household accidents? Pet products? Online scammers who tell you they love you? Valentine's Day story! Let's dive in.

Marketing pitches pour into the newsroom every day, but the pace picks up around the holiday, when reporters start looking for love stories. And there's nothing Minnesota loves more than a good state ranking. Love means never having to accept that Minnesota ranked 31st on a news release from Rare Carat, charting how much each state spends on engagement rings on average.

"Even though Taylor Swift did not get an engagement ring at the Super Bowl, an unprecedented number of Americans might on Valentine's Day," the press release from the online diamond marketplace begins. "A new study found Minnesota residents spend an average of $7,175 on engagement rings – No. 31 most expensive in the nation."

Who knew there was a national ranking of states with the most "careless cooks?" Take the knowledge contained within this press release from Claim Guide and make sure your Valentine's Day is hot, but not too hot. Because Minnesota ranks 16th on that Danger Chef list. Happy Valentine's Day!

"Cooking at home for Valentine's Day?" the press release asks. "You might want to keep your eyes locked on the stovetop rather than your sweetheart.

Is Minneapolis Cupid-compatible? That's the question asked and answered by The Matchmaking Company, which scrutinized American cities to find the ones with the most candy shops, matchmaking services and [checks notes] archery ranges. Also, daycare centers, since Cupid is technically a diaper-wearing baby. Minneapolis came in seventh on the list. Congratulations, Minneapolis! We do have a lot of archery ranges.

"If you're hoping to fall madly in love by Valentine's Day," the press release began, "stay just where you are."

It's not all hearts and flowers in the mail bag. A site called Social Catfish weighs in with a press release entitled "Five signs your Valentine is a scammer."

Do they ply you requests for gift cards and crypto? Do they always have an excuse to avoid video chats that would let you see that attractive face from their profile pic? Social Catfish ranks Minnesota 21st in romance scams. I am so sorry you had to find out like this on Valentine's Day. Do not send anyone any crypto, just in case.

Last but not least, a news release that fails to rank Minnesota on any list, but does offer you a shot at $1,000 this Valentine's Day.

Thinking of proposing this Valentine's Day? Include your pet in the engagement photo and enter it in a drawing from pet shopping site Chewy.

"This one is for fur-ever loves," begins the pitch. "Couples getting married in 2024 or 2025 who share their pet-posal photos or videos on social media using #ChewyPetposals before March 31 will have a chance to win big! 10 lucky couples will win a $1,000 Chewy eGift card toward pet supplies."

Happy Valentine's Day, Minnesota! You're #1 on our list. And if you want to make your own candy hearts, you can do so here.