JA Launches Consumer Marketing Campaign for Spinel

New York--Jewelers of America officially has launched its consumer marketing campaign announcing that spinel has joined peridot as a birthstone for the month of August.

The new birthstone is being unveiled to consumers through public relations and marketing outreach, including print media, online platforms, social media, radio and emails.

JA also has created a variety of materials for its members to incorporate into their own marketing to announce spinel as a new August birthstone.

The materials also promote JA’s “Spectacular Spinel” sweepstakes, designed to create more consumer awareness and excitement around the gemstone and provide shareable content for members.

The winner of Spectacular Spinel will receive a pair of 18-karat gold and red spinel earrings valued at $1,250 from Carelle’s “Stacked” collection. It is running at Jewelers.org/SpinelSweeps through Aug. 19.

The retail materials available for members to download are an email HTML, email or web images, a printable sign, social media graphics and revised digital gemstone leaflets.

As part of the campaign, JA also is calling on both its members and the industry to update their birthstones lists, adding spinel for the month of August.

“As an industry, we have a great opportunity to capture consumer excitement, wonder and enthusiasm for jewelry,” JA President and CEO David Bonaparte said. “It is our hope that everyone will join together in announcing spinel as a new birthstone for August, and the industry will have one united voice and message about birthstones.”

Prior to the official rollout of the spinel-as-birthstone marketing campaign, JA showcased August birthstone gift guides and additional spinel jewelry coverage on its website and across its social media channels.

The American Gem Trade Association and JA jointly announced that spinel would join peridot as an August birthstone about two months ago.

This is the third update to the modern birthstone list since it was officially created in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers Association, now known as JA.

It was updated in 1952 to add alexandrite, citrine, tourmaline and zircon as birthstones and again in 2002 when tanzanite was added as a birthstone for December.

For more information on the promotional opportunities related to spinel’s debut a birthstone, visit the JA website.

Information about the gemstone also can be found on the AGTA website, and a full list of birthstones is available on Jewelers.org.