HAMILTON JEWELERS, PALM BEACH, FL

[dropcap cap=IN ANTICIPATION] of their 2012 Centennial Celebration, Hamilton Jewelers held a weekend-long diamond event last spring themed around the undying style of old Hollywood, which included exhibitions of The Stuart Weitzman Oscar Red Carpet Shoe Collection and a world-renowned photo exhibit, as well as a makeover and photo shoot of clients.[/dropcap]

<< INTERVIEW WITH KATIE BROMMER, MARKETING ASSOCIATE >>

Why did you choose the “film noir” concept for the event, and how did customers respond?
While brainstorming ideas, we discovered that the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach had an exhibit of photographs from the golden age of fi lm, and it all snowballed from there. We contacted them, they put us in touch with the owner of the pictures, and we were able to obtain and enlarge some amazing photographs — some rarely seen before in public. The theme tied in perfectly with our new brand campaign, “Style is timeless,” which we had just kicked off in the Florida market.

What did the shoe collection add to the event?
The shoes are historical pieces that are rarely seen. Customers kept walking around the interior and exterior of the store just gazing at everything that we had. It kept them in the store much longer and also brought in many new clients.

What did customers think of the makeovers and photos?
After the women got their makeup done, we had a professional photographer set up black-and-white glamour shots, where they could pose as a Hamilton Jewelers star for the day. We then offered to send the photos to everyone who participated in the glamour shots. We were able to obtain many new clients and potential
lead e-mails this way.

What did having a jewelry writer at the event add to the party?
We invited INDESIGN senior editor Beth Bernstein to discuss how new jewelry trends can be worn with the pieces currently in your collection. Our guests loved it! Beth’s passion and knowledge created excitement and once again reinforced our commitment to jewelry as a fashion and designer product.

[contentheading]Eye Catchers [/contentheading]

[h4]ADS THAT SPARKLE[/h4]

[number color=red value=1] Capital “B” provides a catchy pun, but more important, it reinforces the store brand and takes center stage.[/number]

[number color=red value=2] Gorgeous, colorful designer jewelry draws the eye to emphasize the store’s modern inventory selection.[/number]

[number color=red value=3] Golden-brown color of the Braunschweiger logo matches that of the store’s gift box, lending a consistent brand appearance from start to finish.[/number]

[contentheading]Attached at the Brand [/contentheading]

We have a fantastic customer named Phyllis who comes in or calls every month to see if any new Moritz Glik merchandise has come in. Moritz did a trunk show last November with us, and customers were fl ipping out over his pieces and his particular attention to fine details. Phyllis purchased three rather large pieces from him, all very diff erent. Phyllis is counting the days until his next personal appearance!

[span class=note]This story is from the September-October 2011 edition of INDESIGN[/span]