The new television advertising campaign sees the retailer introduce a new angle on its success, highlighting its craftsmanship and family heritage rather than simply price and/or product-based advertising.
Called “So much to give,” the two new advertisements were produced by Brisbane-based creative agency, BCM, which has worked in partnership with Wallace Bishop for over 30 years.
While Australian retail faces difficult conditions, many jewellers are trying to combat this climate with constant discounting, but the iconic retailer Wallace Bishop believes a different method is required in order to assure its future success.
Allanah Muckert, Wallace Bishop marketing manager told Jeweller the brand-based tv advertising campaign will run for 12 months and existing ads will be reintroduced at key retailing periods being Christmas and June.
“We see this campaign as a branding advertisement that will run around our other retail activity,” Muckert said. “We've got a great heritage going back to 1917 and a very strong repairs and services business which we see as our biggest competitive advantage over other jewellers in our market.”
Acknowledging that the campaign is a break from ‘traditional’ retail advertising, particularly discounting, Muckert said, “Long term, that’s [discount advertising] a one way street to no where. We realise that although it's a tough [economic] environment, we need to balance things out to achieve long term viability out of our messaging.”
She explained that Wallace Bishop will not be pulling back altogether from it’s traditional retail advertising, “we want to balance it out so that we can talk about the other things that make Wallace Bishop what we are,” Muckert said.
According to BCM managing partner, Paul Cornwell, the new campaign leverages the brand’s 95-year history, emphasising the generational involvement of the Bishop family.
“The time to reinvigorate a trusted Queensland brand was more important than ever before,” Cornwell told Mumbrella. “We’ve created a brand that’s more recognisable in a cluttered marketplace.”
In-store packaging, internal communications and all advertising material will now feature the new look blue and silver logo and tagline.
Wallace Bishop has 56 stores with the majority being in Queensland. There are 11 stores in northern NSW so the tv campaign will run from Cairns to Dubbo for the next 12 months.
In June, Wallace Bishop further strengthened its working relationship with BCM by entrusting them with its Hardy Brothers account.
Cornwell added that Hardy Brothers is one of Australia’s most prestigious jewellers.
“We’re delighted that Wallace Bishop have entrusted us with this brand,” Cornwell told B&T news. “It consolidates the long-term relationship with Wallace Bishop which now stretches to over 30 years.”
BCM began working on the Hardy Brothers account immediately.
Muckert added that Wallace Bishop went through some internal restructure which led to BCM acquiring the Hardy Brothers account.
“We wanted to streamline the business and create more efficiency in our operations,” Muckert said. “Plus we have a strong 30 year relationship with BCM which we are very proud of.”
Hardy Brothers has six stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.