Our experts provide a check-up to the advertising of The Polished Edge in Liberty, MO

The Polished Edge

Liberty, Mo

In 1997, The Polished Edge Fine Jewelry began as a trade-only business, doing work for several mall stores in the Kansas City area. Owner Kevin Weaver came to realize that his small 350-square-foot space was in a historic preservation area and was required to act as a “retail” establishment. So, he and his wife, Christie, took a line of credit against their house and began their journey. As the retail component became more lucrative, he and Christie (who does their marketing) have dropped many of their wholesale clients, refinanced their home, secured a loan, and are now targeting a more “upscale” clientele.

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THE DIAGNOSIS: I love real entrepreneurs.  Kevin and Christie are obviously good at what they do. They have tasted opportunity along with a modicum of success (they paid back a bank, secured another loan and line of credit  — in today’s world, that’s successful).  They have a direction, now gearing their efforts to a more upscale clientele. I have to say their magazine ads are pretty darn nice. Their “Opposites Attract” ad sold the solitaire mounting with pink diamonds four different times! If one measures great advertising with sales — then they’ve hit a home run. Some might say there is minimal consistency — but I would argue that they certainly have a consistent feel to their ads. The photography is superb — and I don’t know many do-it-yourself small jewelers who understand that notion.

THE REMEDY: There is none. Keep up the good work. Be careful not to stray from your core. And continue to invite your banker to dinner. I have a feeling you’re going to need more from them in the future!

(Fruchtman is president of Fruchtman Marketing, a full-service agency. E-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

THE DIAGNOSIS: I am a fan of simple headlines. The Polished Edge uses words sparingly and grabs the reader with bold, clean images focused on the jewelry and accompanying headlines. The headlines do come across as a bit vanilla though. I would like to see a more distinguishable personality that would set the store apart from competitors.

THE REMEDY: Bravo on beginning to establish a brand look! I will give accolades for a consistent, informative logo lock up. But I would like to see a few less font tricks used in the lock up — there is a distinct overuse of italics and varied font sizes in the logo and mandatories section. I would like to see more consistency incorporated into the headline and background treatments. Each component of the ad working together creates a consistent overall message that is easy to take in and recall. This campaign is on the right track toward establishing a branded campaign that is all their own — they just need to find a clear voice that is sustainable and ownable.

(Briggs is VP of brand strategy at Willoughby Design. E-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

THE DIAGNOSIS: I really like the use of clever headlines that relate to the products shown in each ad. The images of the jewelry also work great in these layouts. My only suggestion would be to unify the campaign around a single “look and feel.”

THE REMEDY: I would extend the layout and type treatment used in the “Classic Rock Station” ad to the whole campaign. It’s a compelling look that will stand out from their competition. The campaign could also benefit from headlines that lend themselves to pay-off in body copy, to further engage the reader.

(Malis is president of MGH, a full-service marketing communications firm. E-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .)

This story is from the November 2009 edition of INSTORE

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