GradingJun 23, 2025
GIA Names New President and CEO Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.
IndependentsAug 09, 2016
Retailer Talk: My recent lesson in media buying
Spending a total of four hours with a media buying consultant resulted in a statistical epiphany, so to speak, for one Pennsylvania retailer, changing the way he divvies up his budget among radio, broadcast television and cable.
Johnstown, Pa.--No matter where one lives in the U.S., a snowstorm in spring is never a welcome occurrence, especially after a long, difficult winter.
But a recent whiteout worked to the advantage of Johnstown, Pa. jeweler Dennis Petimezas, owner of Watchmaker’s Diamonds and Jewelry, because it meant that other businesses had to cancel their appointments with media buying consultant Robert Russo.
The local NBC affiliate, WJAC, brought Russo in as a consultant for some of its most loyal advertisers in March after it got bought by a larger media conglomerate. Russo, who also teaches advertising on the college level, conducted one group session followed by individual sessions.
The entire experience lead to what can only be described as statistical epiphany for the jeweler. It changed the way he views, and buys, advertisement spots on cable television, broadcast television and radio.
Like most people, Petimezas just paid attention to the sticker price, so to speak, when buying media, figuring that the best deal was going with the least expensive option.
What he learned from Russo was to dig deeper, to calculate what it was costing his store per viewer or listener to reach the audience he wants to reach; namely, young adults aged 20 to 42, many of whom are part of the generation known as the Millennials or Generation Y.
“The small independent jeweler, we’re all looking for the same thing and that thing is Generation Y. That’s our target market,” he says. “They’re sophisticated, they’re smart and, most likely, they’re immune to traditional marketing. That seems to be the characteristics of this group.”
If retailers don’t reach this group through advertising they miss out on bridal customers, which, Petimezas says, are what drive the entire business. “Bridal is everything. If you get them (as bridal customers) and you make them happy, you have them from here on out.”
After crunching the data he received from Russo, the retailer discovered that broadcast television was best for catching the attention of this young audience. They are plugged into shows such as The Voice and The Blacklist, and the commercial breaks on broadcast networks are shorter, making it more likely viewers will remember the ads.
Because of this, Petimezas says he’s shifting more of his budget toward broadcast television and away from cable and radio.
Cable, while still effective, has to be carefully bought. For the jeweler’s audience,
picking airtime during breaks in mixed martial-arts fighting or professional wrestling reaches more jewelry-buying members of Gen Y than, for example, re-runs of The Brady Bunch. Petimezas says he’s willing to pay a premium to have his commercials air during specific shows if it means he’s reaching the right audience.
Petimezas certainly isn’t the first retailer jeweler to reach the conclusion that potential ring-buyers are tuned in during sporting events; just think about how many Kay Jewelers and Zale commercials air when fall hits and the NFL returns to the air.
Radio still has its place, though satellite radio, music sharing sites and MP3 players have taken the edge off its effectiveness. Petimezas says according to Russo, the best time to reach people with radio is between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., when they have them on in their offices or businesses. Once consumers are “free,” traditional radio tends to lose out to electronic competition.
When asked if he wasn’t wary of what he learned from Russo--he was, after all, brought in by the local TV station, which obviously would benefit greatly from more broadcast television buying--Petimezas says no, as he used the data presented and did his own calculations, based on the audience his store is trying to reach. The results would not be the same for every business because they’re not all after the same demographic.
Following the group session, Petimezas returned for his one-on-one, snowstorm-extended session, with a jump drive containing marketing materials and his local commercials in hand.
While the retailer had been hesitant to run what he considers his more cutting-edge ads on broadcast television, such as his “sexy mom” Mother’s Day spot, Russo pointed out that it’s more difficult to offend people today due to edgier content on broadcast networks and the Internet. His advice: if the station will run it, then run it.
“I thought it would be too much,” Petimezas says. “It wasn’t too much.”
Russo also offered advice on two mediums that occupy distinctly different ends of the survival spectrum: print, which many consider to be a dying beast, and social media.
Print is effective in reaching an older demographic and is a medium Watchmaker’s turns to for anniversary ring specials. What Russo suggested was promoting the store as being in Johnstown but adding “serving Somerset, Ebensburg and Altoona,” three nearby towns, to all print pieces in order to expand the store’s reach.
As for social media, Russo advises retailers to pursue it, Petimezas says. If they can’t do it with existing staff, than hire an outside firm to handle it.
“I almost feel guilty because I didn’t get a bill,” Petimezas jokes. “I am used to paying for this kind of knowledge.”
More on Independents
The Latest
Recorded WebinarsJun 23, 2025
Watch: Top Trends at Couture, JCK Las Vegas 2025National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.
SourcingJun 23, 2025
Diamond Producers, Organizations to Kick in Money to Promote Natural DiamondsSignatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Celebrate 6 Jewelry DesignersThe winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.
Weekly QuizJun 20, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Gem Awards Now Accepting Nominations for 2026Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Dua Lipa Stays On-Trend With Chunky Engagement RingThe singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Piece of the Week: Yvonne Léon’s ‘Python Gold’ BraceletThe bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry HeistThe heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’sThe 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry ShoppingThe Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56KThe historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New JewelsTo mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.
SourcingJun 18, 2025
Gemfields Sells 36-Carat Rough RubyThe gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.
TechnologyJun 18, 2025
Alex Brown Named President of Smithee GroupFounder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry SaleThe top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Amanda Gizzi Gets a Promotion at JAGizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Kering Names Automotive Exec as Its New CEOLuca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.
EditorsJun 16, 2025
Q&A: Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Mining, Tariffs, and the Energy of Las VegasFollowing visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos Joins Tiffany & Co.The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Catbird Names WNBA Star Nyara Sabally as Its New Brand AmbassadorThe New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.
CollectionsJun 13, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s Pear EarringsTake a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.
Events & AwardsJun 13, 2025
AGA to Host ‘Diamonds From Mine to Market’ Education ConferenceThe one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.
EditorsJun 12, 2025
15 Questions With Jewelry Photographer Ella SophieThe California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.
