It Won't Ever Be Jared!

[MineralMan]

As the Yule season approaches, it's time again for those awful Jared Galleria of Jewelry ads. You know the ones: Shrill soprano voices with a too-fast vibrato screaming, "It could only be Jared!" and women trying to shame their husbands into shopping there for jewelry gifts. The scornful voice saying, "He went to Jared," to the hapless husband who stupidly bought his wife's necklace somewhere else...somewhere obviously inferior to Jared. Anything less than Jared, and hubby's a thoughtless toad.

Well, folks, combine all of those things, and there's not a chance on earth I'll ever darken the door of that vendor of sparkling gemstones and glistening gold. I guarantee it. There are jewelry vendors aplenty in every mall on this planet. I'll pick one of those -- one that doesn't insult my intelligence or try to shame me into shopping at their store. I don't respond to that kind of advertising. I'm not even sure who does.

For me, the Jared television and radio ads epitomize advertising that simply doesn't work. Here's why:

1. It targets the wrong demographic. Men buy jewelry for their wives and other women in their lives. Men don't like shrill voices screeching in their ears. Men don't like being shamed into doing things.

2. Selling products works better than selling fear. Few people are going to buy a ring or necklace or
brooch because you tell them they'll get ridiculed by the very person they buy it for if they don't shop at a particular store.

3. Selling quality and value works better than selling shame. Now, if I give my wife a trinket in a Tiffany's box, she'll know that quality and value are important to me. Tiffany's has been selling quality for decades. If I give her the same trinket in a Jared's box, she's going to wonder if I went there because I was shamed into it.

Even Kay Jewelry ads, which are also annoying, promise a kiss (and more, wink, wink) from the recipient, rather than shame if you buy anywhere but Jared. I like kisses. I don't like someone telling me, "Shame on you if you don't shop here! Your wife's going to sneer at any present you buy anywhere but Jared, you pitiful moron."

So, sorry, Jared. I won't be stopping by this holiday season. Good luck with your ugly advertising campaign.

www.osomin.com

[TwilightGardener]

1. I can't stand either the Jared or the Kaye commercials--gack.

Of course, my husband stopped presenting me with shiny objects years ago--they're useless and I just don't wear them. I'd rather get a really good vacuum cleaner or a new sofa.

[MineralMan]

2. Your husband's a clever lad, it seems.

My wife likes jewelry, but I would never buy any of it from Jared.

[TwilightGardener]

6. He's still steamed about the pearls he bought for me

as a surprise gift when he was deployed to the Middle East. I never wore them, and somehow they found their way (still in their box) to the bottom of a basket full of miscellaneous kitchen junk--oh boy. I'd forgotten all about them for 2 years. I will never hear the end of that, but he knows now not to surprise me with expensive jewelry, at least. And I don't blame you for boycotting companies with stupid, insulting ads--you've got to hit them where it hurts to show that the ad campaign missed.

[get the red out]

3. I hate those ads

Those ads are a disgrace to women. The women in those ads are portrayed as so shallow and shrill that it makes me want to throw something at the TV. I really hate it when women are made to appear as silly, gold-digging twits incapable of understanding an actual relationship with another human being.

No, I vowed a long time ago I would never buy anything at that jewlrey store, and I go on so much about hating the ads every year that I am sure my husband wouldn't either.

[MineralMan]

4. My wife hates the ads, too.

I'm not sure what prompted Jared to advertise that way. They're still in business, but not because of those ads, I'm sure.

[MindPilot]

10. I hate all those ads because they portray men as troglodyte twits

who would be wallowing in their own filth were it not for the civilizing influence of women.

[get the red out]

11. LOL, it would be a mindless, greedy "civilizing influence"

Those women look like the kind of people who would yank out someone's teeth if they thought they had a gold filling. Poor troglodytes, I always took the premise of the commercial to be that the greedy, shallow female-thing was quite likely to band with others like her an do the poor man bodily harm if he didn't purchase over-priced, gaudy trinkets from the appropriate store. Kind of like a Dragon and her gold.

The commercials are so hideous.

[azmouse]

5. I could not agree more.

Those commercials go way beyond offensive.

[petronius]

7. If not Jared, does that mean you'll be buying your wife a surprise BMW

and parking it on the street with a ginormous red bow? The other wives on the block will be ever so jealous...

[MineralMan]

9. She prefers Volvos. I bought her a 1991 Volvo wagon a couple

of years ago. Does that count?

[MineralMan]

8. Info about Sterling Jewelers, which owns Jared (and Kay, oddly enough)

From Wikipedia:

"EEOC v. Sterling Jewelers Inc. On September 24, 2008, Federal officials charged Sterling Jewelers with discriminating against female employees by paying them less than their male counterparts and denying promotions to them. Sterling Jewelers permitted or encouraged managers to deny female employees equal pay compared with men in similar positions and equal access to promotions, the EEOC said. Sterling denies the claim and has vowed to "defend ourselves vigorously against whatever legal action arises." The lawsuit seeks monetary relief and an order requiring the company to implement new policies and practices to prevent discrimination"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Jewelers

Apparently the company has no respect for women anyhow.

[SidDithers]

12. My wife would kill me if I bought her a big, expensive piece of jewellry...

we make major financial decisions together.

Sid

[geek tragedy]

13. I keep on expecting the guy to pop the question at a Subway. nt