A successful advertisement catches one’s attention and stimulates interest in the product or service being promoted. As I look at some eye-catching and engaging ads that appeared in fashion magazines recently, I am struck by the starring role played by jewelry.

 

For instance, here is a two-page ad for Stella Artois beer, a premium beverage. 

For the exclusive launch of the new perfume by singer Mary J. Blige, HSN (Home Shopping Network) ran this ad in August magazines.

And here’s a charming ad for the new Toyota Avalon, emphasizing the luxury of the vehicle’s spaciousness.

Jewelry figures prominently in each ad, but why?  What is the function of the jewelry in these advertisements?

Jewelry sets the mood of the ad – it tells you that the woman wearing the jewelry is affluent or successful. It may portray her as sophisticated or perhaps as creative or edgy. It makes her ensembles look finished, as though she dressed with care because she cares about the impression she makes. And it draws the eye exactly where the advertiser wants it to go.

In order to demonstrate the impact of jewelry, I took inspiration from some of the Photoshopped images of models that have recently provoked significant and deserved outrage for reducing the figures of  models to cartoon-like dimensions. I figure that if major retailers and designers can intentionally and preposterously modify women’s dimensions, you might forgive me for trying to illustrate the impact of jewelry by inartfully trying to “remove” it from the photos. So here goes. . . .  Let me present the same ads without the jewelry, with apologies to Ms. Blige and all the creative people responsible for the original versions.  

Notice how jewelry is an essential part of the composition of the various ads. The pose of the woman in the Stella Artois ad is not as balanced without the chunky bracelet on her wrist.

The face-framing effect of the gems on Mary J. Blige is lost.

And a spectacular large brooch no longer draws the eye to the center of the photo in the Avalon ad.

Consider that, if jewelry makes such a difference in an advertisement for a product or service, how much it makes a difference in the impression of an individual wearing jewelry.  

Are you wearing jewelry today?

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