US Marketing and Advertising

Management believes customers’ confidence in the retailer, store brand name recognition and advertising of branded differentiated and exclusive ranges, are important factors in determining buying decisions in the specialty jewelry sector where the majority of merchandise is unbranded. Therefore, the US division continues to strengthen and promote its reputation by aiming to deliver superior customer service and build brand name recognition. The marketing channels used include television, radio, print, catalog, direct mail, telephone marketing, point of sale signage, in-store displays and online methods. Marketing activities, including the use of new media channels, are carefully tested and their success monitored by methods such as market research and sales productivity.

While marketing activities are undertaken throughout the year, the level of activity is concentrated at periods when customers are expected to be most receptive to marketing messages, which is before Christmas Day, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. A significant majority of the expenditure is spent on national television advertising. National television advertising is used to promote the Kay and Jared store brands. Within these advertisements, Signet also promoted certain merchandise ranges, in particular its branded differentiated and exclusive merchandise and other branded products. The US division continued to have the leading share of voice within the US jewelry sector.

Statistical and technology-based systems are employed to support a customer marketing program that uses a proprietary database of almost 27 million names to strengthen the relationship with customers through mail, telephone and email communications. The program targets current customers with special savings and merchandise offers during key sales periods. In addition, invitations to special in-store promotional events are extended throughout the year.

Historically, generic marketing activity undertaken by De Beers in the US to promote diamonds and diamond jewelry designs was important in influencing the size of the total jewelry market and the popularity of particular styles of jewelry. With the significant reduction by De Beers of its promotional expenditure on diamonds and diamond jewelry, management believes that marketing carried out by specialty jewelry retailers has become more important. Given the size of the marketing budgets for Kay and Jared, management believes this has increased the US division’s competitive marketing advantage, in particular the ability to advertise branded differentiated and exclusive merchandise on national television is of growing importance. The US division’s five year record of gross advertising spending is given below:

(1) 53 week year.