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Partnerships, Specials Mark Valentine's Day Push
Jan 26, 2006 9:22 AM
By Jeanette Goldman
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(Rapaport...January 26, 2006) Roses, red heart shaped goods, and chocolate cakes are on the list of retail promotional gimmicks in 2006 ahead of Valentine's Day. This celebration of love gives retailers the perfect opportunity to boost sales of items intended to show deep affection for one's love.
Constant Contact's survey reports that flowers remain the No.1 gift for Valentine's Day, but jewelry edged out chocolate as No.2 with 21 percent of respondents saying they intend to hit the jewelry counter for Valentine's Day. "Holiday sales have become a vital component of the retail sales cycle for millions of small businesses," said Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact.
In the United States however, one-in-four consumers balk at Valentine's Day as "a fake holiday engineered by card companies and florists," according to a pre-holiday survey conducted by Amarula Cream Liqueur.
"Valentine's Day is one of the most annoying and cliché holidays of the year, seducing people into thinking the way to someone's heart are through material things," said Amarula National Brand manager, Meghan Murray. The survey even found that more than half (51 percent) would not be upset if their significant other skipped Valentine's Day gifts in 2006 and nearly half (46 percent) said they think that "roses or chocolate are too generic to really show someone you care about them."
However, that survey leaves an audience of three-out-of-four to market February 14th as gift-giving day. De Beers' marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) launched a new campaign (Romantic Heroes) for that purpose, under the motto: "Instead of the usual chocolates and red roses, we challenge men to surpass all expectations, don't just say 'I love you,' say 'I know you' with a Diamond Right Hand Ring." De Beers is marketing diamonds as the ideal gift for a man to demonstrate his true love for the woman in his life. The DTC is holding its first Valentine's Day marketing campaign in five years and even allocating 5 percent of its yearly budget toward this campaign. Men, ages 25-54, will be encouraged to consider a more expensive gift than traditional flowers and chocolate.
The Diamond Right Hand Ring is the perfect gift, the DTC says, to demonstrate that "he not only loves her but he truly understands her." Romantic Heroes campaign will officially launch on February 1, 2006 and will run the full two weeks leading up to Valentine's Day. De Beers plans to run national advertising campaigns in newspapers, weeklies, and on both radio and Internet broadcasts. Audiences will be driven to a mini-website, similarly to the company's Christmas 2005 advertising campaign, where users can view a gallery of rings and take an interactive quiz to help users locate "that unique" ring for her.
Other companies and industries have combined forces in an effort to grab more market share through partnerships. Chocolates and diamonds are working together rather than competing. In a special promotion celebrating Godiva's 80th anniversary, one grand prize winner will be choosing $80,000 worth of jewels from H. Stern and 80 boxes of Godiva chocolates. Godiva is also awarding 100 first prize winners with an $800 gift certificate for H. Stern jewelry along with eight boxes of Godiva chocolate.
"We feel Valentine's Day represents a special time of year dedicated to all things love and romance," said Gene Dunkin, Godiva president. That's why this year we are excited to work with H. Stern and offer the quintessential gift of chocolates and diamonds."
The Valentine's Day Collection is available through February 28, 2006, in Godiva boutiques, finer department stores, and in specialty shops across the United States.
In Japan, the Uchihara Group thought of a way to attract Tokyo consumers for Valentine's Day by blending 2,000 diamonds into the frosting of a large chocolate cake. The diamonds are sprinkled across "fine bitter chocolate" cake shaped in the form of Africa. Should the cake tickle one's fancy, it can be purchased for $4.4 million, but that does not include the two full-time security guards protecting the cake in Uchihara's store. The jeweler chose the shape of Africa to demonstrate his love for his homeland continent.
Online diamond and jewelry retailer Mondera.com has combined forces with stationary e-tailer elnvite.com. "Popping the question doesn't have to pop the budget," said Mondera.com and elnvite.com. Through February 18, 2006, customers who order an engagement ring and diamonds at Mondera.com will receive a coupon for free custom wedding invitations of up to $500 from elnvite.com. The coupon is redeemable for up to 18 months. "This joint promotion makes it both convenient and economical for our customers," said Mondera.com COO Vinaya Ravi. "This offer helps the couple create both a custom ring and a custom invitation. Truly personalized products at value prices," Ravi added.
Zales is combining diamonds with flowers this Valentine's Day. In a one-time promotional offer, Zales is offering its consumers a chance to win roses and up to $25,000 worth of diamonds. Those who register and take a "quick online draw" could also earn a $5 coupon for 1-800-Flowers for simply registering.
Online retailer, Ebates.com, acknowledges that buying jewelry can be as challenging as finding the perfect someone to share one's life. So, special for Valentine's Day, Ebates has launched a jewelry guide to help its members shop smart and save money when buying jewelry online. The Ebates Jewelry Guide includes a birthstone chart, a directory of jewelry stores that offer Ebates members from 2 to 9 percent cash back on all jewelry purchases and helpful hints on how to compare and choose gemstones based on color, clarity, carat weight and cut.
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Tags:
Consumers, De Beers, DTC, Japan, Jewelry, United States
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