John Hardy to spend record amount on advertising

New York--As it ramps up its advertising spend, John Hardy has unveiled a campaign for fall titled “The Story of Touch” that puts its jewelry up against the natural landscape of Bali.

The campaign is part of an effort by John Hardy to increase brand awareness and reach new consumers. The brand said it has quadrupled its advertising budget and is now spending a record amount in the category, though it declined to release exact figures.

The increase comes at the conclusion of a year-long research study John Hardy conducted on its brand values to establish a new identity. It designed this new campaign around that.

“The Story of Touch” was shot and directed by renowned photographer Cass Bird in some of Bali’s best locales, from rice fields to volcanic sights, putting luxury jewelry up against a natural backdrop to capture the emotion of each collection. 

The images also don’t reveal the faces of the models who are featured in the shots, allowing the jewelry to shine. 

Over the course of a year, John Hardy will unveil four versions of the campaign along with short films to be used across various marketing channels, aligning the releases with key jewelry sales months.

Each version will highlight one of the brand’s main collections, beginning with the Classic Chain collection in November and December. It will appear in a selection of fashion, luxury, travel, shelter and men’s magazines. 

The Legends collection will follow in January and February, the Bamboo collection in March and April, and the Dot collection in May and June.

The campaign is the first under the brand’s new “Storytellers” platform, which highlights the “rich narratives woven throughout the brand’s legacy of artisan handcrafted jewelry,” the symbolism behind its most iconic collections, and Bali’s inspiration in design, according to John Hardy.

It will be activated across all aspects of the brand, especially social media channels and through content on JohnHardy.com, as well as encourage public relations efforts, celebrity partnerships, unique event experiences and collaborations with artisan partners, the brand said.