Public relations companies play an important role in the jewelry industry, acting as conductors between jewelers, the press and consumers. During the COVID-19 crisis, PR firms have had to adapt their practices to meet the evolving needs of the brands they represent.
The show must go on
The most seismic shift in many jewelers’ business models has been the cancellation of trade shows. How are brands compensating for these lost opportunities? PR experts say virtual options are key.
The cancellations have been “an unfortunate blow to many designers,” says Ginnina D’Orazio, founder and president of D’Orazio & Associates, but “we have always relied heavily on digital awareness via online media platforms and social media channels to promote and achieve presence for our clients. This objective has only intensified since the virus’s disruption. D’Orazio has shifted to virtual meetings with internal staff, clients and stylists.”
Francesca Simons, a PR consultant who specializes in the luxury market, takes a similar tack. “Some of my most successful clients never participated in trade shows, and those that do are re-strategizing,” she says. “We will be taking vital sales appointments virtually with...retailer accounts who work with and are familiar with our products.”
She recalls meeting with the team from luxury retailer Marissa Collections in New York “just two weeks before the US initiated lockdown protocols...and we launched on their site a week later. This was done without a trade show, and this type of ‘meeting’ can be emulated online for any brand.”
Jessica Kiraly, senior account executive at brand development agency Mega Mega Projects, points out that “trade shows happen a handful of times a year; promoting your brand has to happen 365 days a year. Many of the trade shows that were sadly canceled are still supporting their designers, whether it be featuring them on Instagram or taking the show to a virtual format.”
Distribution hurdles
Though digital channels can provide solutions to issues such as visibility and promotion, they’re not entirely foolproof. The coronavirus has left even internet-based businesses with their share of challenges.
“One of the largest issues jewelry brands are facing is the closing of online distribution, such as sites like [luxury e-tailer] Net-a-Porter,” says Simons. “With production closed, if collections are made to order, with no stock, the brands cannot create pieces to sell to their customers. No production can mean no sales for some brands.”
Net-a-Porter closed its distribution center in London following backlash from unions, which accused the company of forcing non-essential employees to continue working from its warehouse. Other online jewelry distributors that have cut back are Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, which have furloughed workers and sought emergency financing, according to Bloomberg reports.
Simons also points to the lack of celebrity events and photo shoots, which she admits “is a void.” All three representatives agree that the absence of these opportunities has brought abrupt changes to their former strategies.
‘This will be a wake-up call’
How are PR agencies that represent jewelry brands reacting to these challenges? They’ve had to get creative about methods of promotion.
“Services such as social media consultancy, digital marketing and virtual experiences have helped us retain clientele,” reiterates D’Orazio.
Varying the content is another way to keep both the consumer audience and the press engaged. D’Orazio, Simons and Kiraly recommend incorporating videos of products and behind-the-scenes footage wherever possible, creating exclusive content such as insightfully written newsletters for followers, and participating in the growing popularity of resources like Instagram Live.
Despite the disruption, D’Orazio sees a positive side to all these changes. “Since the fine-jewelry industry has typically focused on physical sales, this has been an opportunity to explore all the ways jewelry brands can make an impact online. We cannot express enough the importance of the industry transitioning to online sales and promotions. The complete shutdown of the physical retail market has proven that the traditional fine-jewelry industry that has long survived on the brick-and-mortar model will no longer suffice.”
It’s a stark message, but a hard one to deny. “We think this will be a wake-up call for many jewelers whose business came to a complete halt with mandated store closures, forcing them to explore more innovative ways to obtain visibility and sales,” she asserts.
Image clockwise: Ginnina D’Orazio, Francesca Simons, Jessica Kiraly
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - May 2020. To subscribe click here.