For Jeweler, Bling Heals All Wounds

NEW YORK A jewelry campaign for the laddie set is proffering Peter Kim Jewelry bling as an immediate salve for sexual indiscretions. In three print ads, Publicis & Hal Riney channels the high-fashion feel of other custom jewelers with a ribald twist—viewers who look closely will see that the gift giver has been caught red-handed."The obvious truth is that people do mess up, people feel guilty about it and make up for it by buying stuff," said creative director Dominic Goldman. "If you look at the category of jewelry ads out there, it's so dull and boring."So Goldman's creative team traded schmaltzy sentiment for raunchy, if elegantly executed, humor. "It didn't seem particularly interesting to do, 'Sorry, I missed your birthday," said executive creative director Jae Goodman."In one ad, a young man smiles sheepishly from his tossed sheets at a woman who casts her shadow over the bed. He offers her a conciliatory necklace with both hands. A closer look at the ad reveals that another hairy, manly arm is wrapped around Lothario's waist. In a second execution, another man, this time clothed, is down on his knees offering his sweetheart a ring. But this is no decent proposal—a second woman has her head in his lap. Both ads are tagged, "Make it up to her." (A third ad, tagged "Make it up to him," features a woman doing wrong.)It's an unusual sell for a category better known for elegant photography and string quartets, but Peter Kim is not your typical pearl earrings kind of jeweler. Like Jacob the Jeweler, who creates custom pieces for rap artists, Peter Kim has been known to produce items as exotic as gold-plated sex toys and jewel-encrusted grills for entire high school football teams."You could see where, with a concept like this, you could go the David LaChappelle [photographic] route, with an over-the-top idea and an over-the-top execution," said Goodman. "But it didn't feel right to get crass."Instead, the team aimed for a more sophisticated execution with fashion photography techniques, like deep focus and exaggerated gem twinkles. Still, getting the models photographed at appropriate angles did provide comic relief, said Goodman."Getting that second [male] model to tuck in there was a lot of fun for everyone. He had to pretend he was hugging a piece of warm concrete," Goodman said.The ads are the first print efforts by the San Francisco agency for the client. Two online executions, one for a Valentine's Day promotion and one for the site flossyogrill.com, both this week earned finalist slots at the Interactive One Show, said Goldman. The print ads will appear in urban lifestyle magazines and select college publications.

Brand Marketing

For Jeweler, Bling Heals All Wounds

Deanna Zammit

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Deanna Zammit