What Spicer Greene Had to Say About Its Controversial Ad

a play on words, and it’s socially sensitive at the same time.”

Though personally Hansen said that her first reaction was, “Do we have to make a big deal of everything these days?” she noted the importance of understanding one’s core audience.

“Attitudes are changing, consumer behavior is changing very fast and while brands must be authentic, and react in real time to issues like this, often the insider perspective is too clouded. Ask an outsider to validate your findings, opinions and plans,” she advised.

Meghan Folsom, co-founder and director of public relations at accessories showroom Mega Mega Projects, agreed that Spicer Greene Jewelers misjudged their audience.

“Even though I find this ad inappropriate and offensive, if (Spicer Greene) were to use in it private email marketing directed specifically towards their adult customer base, it would not be causing the same social uproar,” she said, in reference to the criticism leveled at Spicer Greene for the fact that children would see the ad and not necessarily understand the context.

Folsom said that the ad has offended people in far-reaching ways, showing a disconnect with contemporary consumer values.

“Beyond the implications of violence towards women, I find the sexist undertones of this ad to be demeaning on many levels. Self-purchasing women make up a huge part of the jewelry business in today’s market,” Folsom said. “Not only is this store tacitly making light of domestic violence, but they are also implying that women need to have jewelry purchased for them by men.”

The silver lining of the controversy for Spicer has been the support she’s received in the jewelry industry, as well as from the public.

Spicer explained to National Jeweler that the reactions to the campaign had actually been mainly positive.

“Overwhelmingly, people have loved the billboard,” she said. “About 3 percent (of reactions) have been negative.”

“I’d really like to thank the industry. It’s been amazing. The Jewelers Helping Jewelers Facebook group really rallied around us and supported us and we’re blessed to be in an industry with such caring people,” she said.

When asked if it plans to take down the billboard, Spicer said that the store intends to move up its summer marketing campaign to replace the current ad, but that the timing of that is up to the company that owns the billboards and runs its advertising services.

Hansen told National Jeweler that donating funds to organizations that combat domestic violence was the right move for Spicer Greene Jewelers to make, no matter their intention with the ad.

“Perception is reality,” she concluded. “In the arena of public opinion, that’s the only truth that matters.”