Great Write Up from one of our clients :)

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October 14, 2009
When Madeleine Albright Does Your Marketing For You
If you ever get a chance to hear Madeleine Albright speak, take it! I just got to hear her at a recent Commonwealth Institute event in Boston coordinated with the publication of her new book "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box." Her stories about how her jewelry collection was used to make diplomatic history during her time as Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of State during the Clinton administration are both funny and fascinating.

A few lines from her book tell it best: "Before long, and without intending it, I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my pins."

Talking About Your Pins Means Big Business for Ann Hand

I was inspired by my autographed copy of Read My Pins and its more than 200 photographs combined with the wonderful stories about jewelry and it's place amongst global politics. So, when I was in Washington, DC this week, I set out to visit the Ann Hand Jewelry store were several of the pins and diplomatic gifts featured in Albright's book are sold. One pin in particular, the Liberty Eagle, was on my acquisition list.

The first thing I saw upon walking into the Ann Hand salon was a copy of Read My Pins cracked open to page 68 where the pin is magnified on a black velvet background. Featured on the next page is the pin as part of a necklace worn by Madeleine Albright in a photo with President Clinton. When I asked to purchase the pin, I was told that they had sold out right after the book came out and that they were back-ordered. So, I placed an order. Sure enough, while I was looking around the rest of the store, a lady walked in wanting the Liberty Eagle pin because she had just seen Madeleine Albright giving an interview about her pins on TV.

Riding the Wave with Celebrity Endorsements

Unsolicited celebrity endorsements or simple word of mouth endorsements from happy customers are one of the best ways to market your product. You get them by a) having a great product or service, and b) attracting customers to what you're offering. Sometimes you can help get endorsements by promoting photos of celebrities with your product or developing case studies that you publish or generating press featuring your customers and your product. But, when you get someone like Madeleine Albright for customer because she just plain likes your jewelry and wears it proudly, you know that you've done your job well. The sales that roll in from a happy customer endorsement just reinforce that, so enjoy the success.

Personally, I can't wait for my pin to arrive and here I am blogging about the Liberty Eagle and the Ann Hand shopping experience when I didn't even get to wear my purchase home. Even worse, I'm thinking about my next trip back to the store and what I'll buy then!

Posted at 05:16 PM in Customer Loyalty, Marketing | Permalink

Technorati Tags: Ann Hand, celebrity endorsements, Madeleine Albright, marketing

Ann Hand to Close Georgetown Shop

Ann Hand, whose patriotic- and campaign-themed pins have made her the jeweler to official Washington for 20-plus years, is shutting down her Georgetown location.

“We’re losing our lease at the end of the year,” Hand told Yeas & Nays. “I couldn’t face moving over Christmas and New Year’s, so we’re doing it now. We decided to relocate everything back to our flagship store on MacArthur Boulevard in the Palisades. Plus, we have parking here. That was always a problem in Georgetown.”

Hand began making and selling jewelry out of her home in 1988. She opened the Palisades shop in 2001, followed by the Georgetown store in 2005. Hand, the wife of former LBJ aide Lloyd Hand, is the official jeweler to the Miss America Organization, and her flag pins can be seen on the lapel of many a pol.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/blogs/yeas-and-nays/Ann-Hand-to-close-Georgetown-shop-53056027.html

Washington Times Write-Up

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/22/get-the-buzz-on-cool-jewels/

Ford's Theatre Introduces the Ann Hand Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Eagle Pin

Ford’s Theatre Society commissioned Ann Hand to create a limited edition pin to commemorate the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth in 2009.

The pin is inspired by the eagle and motto “One Country – One Destiny,” which was stitched into the overcoat Abraham Lincoln wore for his second Inauguration, and which he was wearing the evening he was assassinated.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this pin benefits the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Campaign for historic Ford’s Theatre.

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial pin is inspired by the design from Lincoln’s coat. A bald eagle clutches a ribbon inscribed with the phrase that Lincoln carried with him as a reminder of his patriotic vision. The original coat is part of the Ford’s Theatre Museum collection. It is available at Ford's Theatre and at annhand.com

From CBN News - 'Obamanomics' Yields Big Bucks

By Erick Stakelbeck CBN News January 21, 2009

(Click on image to view video)

CBNNews.com - From breath mints to T-shirts, to coffee and pasta, President Barack Obama's likeness is on everything. But how much is being made in the booming business?

Ann Hand and her staff have been hard at work. In 20 years of designing jewelry through her business, Ann Hand Designs, she's never experienced anything quite like this.

"I don't think there's any comparison. I've never seen anything like it," she said. "So many people wanting just some memento of this historic day."

Since Barack Obama was elected, Hand has been sending her items all over the world.
"It's amazing to me that people in Singapore and Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, have wanted something to commemorate this President. It's wonderful for America," she added.

Profits from Obama-related merchandise are estimated at $300 million and climbing.

"This is my souvenir. My Barack Obama momento," one tourist said. "I'll take it home and they'll be proud of it back home because everyone loves Barack Obama in Australia."

Larry Bird, a curator at the Smithsonian Museum, says this type of political excitement dates back to George Washington. "Historically I think this fits very closely with what we've seen before," he said. Bird, however, added that campaigns profiting from political items is new. In the past candidates gave away hats or buttons in order to advertise. "They don't really believe in these things as effective media any more," he explained. "It's just as likely if you went to Obama headquarters and asked for a button, they'd be happy to sell you one for $1.00. The same thing with a bumper sticker."

The cost doesn't seem to bother the millions of people wanting their own piece of history.

Although Obama's record-breaking campaign has ended, sales at his official Web site are still going strong. Profits will go to the inauguration, which will cost an estimated $150 million.

If You Were 1 of the 1.8 Million At The Inauguration - Get Your Ann Hand "I Was There" Keepsake

January 20, 2009 marked an historic event in American history that was witnessed by a record crowd estimated to be over 1.8 million people. Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States becoming the first African-American to reach the highest office in the country.

What better way to commemorate this historic day than an Ann Hand "I Was There" dog tag for $45 (pictured here and available in gold and silver tones). It is a keepsake for years to come to let your family and friends know that you were one of the 1.8 million witnesses to history.

You may shop the entire Ann Hand Obama Collection at annhand.com.

There She Is - Miss Indiana Crowned Miss America 2009

Credits: Ann Hand Is The Official Jeweler Of The Miss America Organization.

By Oskar Garcia

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Katie Stam always dreamed of becoming Miss America, but she bypassed the kiddie pageants and waited until she was more mature and sure of herself. Her view of Miss America changed in that time too, and made her want her new title even more.

A day after Stam was crowned Miss America 2009, she told The Associated Press that as a little girl, she considered Miss America more of a figure than a full-fledged job.

"I literally saw this girl who's living out her wildest dream," Stam said, but that view changed as she aged. "As soon as I found out the job description of Miss America, it only attracted me further."

The platform for the 22-year-old University of Indiana student is community service, and she says she's eager to start in that role. She planned to fly to New York later Sunday for a series of media interviews about her win.

"It starts right away," Stam said. "Miss America — being the goodwill ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network — that job, that position was laid in my hands the moment they put the crown on my head."

Reigning Miss Americas become a spokeswoman for various causes and charities, including the Children's Miracle Network, a partner to the pageant.

Of those responsibilities, Stam said, "I can't wait to get started."

Stam overcame 51 other contestants, a throat infection and laryngitis Saturday night to win the crown. She's the first winner from Indiana in the 88-year pageant.........(read entire article here)