Hildgund Jewelry - Since 1973
Happy Birthday
Hildgund Jewelry is celebrating 136 years in business in a very unique way. 136 gift wrapped jewelry boxes are being placed around town in different locations throughout the month of December. Each one contains a valuable piece of jewelry. The deal is simple; finders keepers!
Bruce Bucky - Owner
I had coffee today with Bruce Bucky to congratulate him on this promotion. He shared some of the experiences to date placing these boxes, and watching people actually walk right by them. Even though there’s a card on the box saying what it is, many people didn’t read it, and turned it in as lost. To prove this, he handed me a gift box and told me to put it somewhere.
Never Walk by Opportunity
I first placed it on a table and sure enough people walked right by without seeing it. Next I moved it over to the table where the cream and sugar are. Again, it was overlooked, except by an employee who looked at it and commented, “Oh, somebody left this.” She did not pick it up or read it. Finally I put it on the floor, and it was amazing to see people walk by without noticing it.
Winner
Finally Isaac spotted it and told the receptionist to go pick it up. She didn’t, so he did. Now he has something nice to take home this evening. The gifts vary in value, but total $50,000.
What to Do?
As we left, Bruce gave me another gift box, told me to put it somewhere and let him know what happens. Stand by, this one is valued at $200. I feel like Santa Claus.
December 5th, 2009 at 3:22 am
Hello everyone,
What a fabulous marketing idea and may there be a good response with customers coming to that business. Please let us know if yours results in anything Ron. Thanks.
Unfortunately it would not happen in South Africa as I see it. The left-lying-around-the-place boxes would be snapped up as not belonging to anyone and finders keepers with not much appreciation for the subtley presented ‘gift.’ In other words they would be ’stolen.’ I doubt that the gift tags would be read, boxes would be unwrapped as soon as possible, assumptions made that some poor oke left it by mistake. Cynicism rules I am afraid. Have to lock it down here, nail it onto something or have a night guard or it is likely to go missing or get lost or borrowed permanently or sold on or consumed but not by the owner. Sorry to be so miserable about such a fine idea. Hope I am wrong. Would love to be wrong. Please let me be wrong. I would alert the media as they say and I would apologise.
Cheers
Lestie
Jozi
South Africa
December 5th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I’ve seen a lot of promotions in my time, but this one takes the prize. Fantastic idea and execution.
December 5th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
People need to come up with new ideas and nobody knows how a new idea is going to do until that idea is tried. I get that.
However, this one just strikes me a little creepy. Something rubs me the wrong way about it. For me, personally, I do not like to be given things (if I did not earn it I don’t want it), and I certainly do not like to be made to look like some kind of scavenger who picks things up off the ground. It just has an undertone of indignity to the whole thing. And, as it seems and not surprisingly, most people did not want anything to do with it – hence the item being ignored by so many people. Even the receptionist refused to go pick it up when instructed by, I am assuming, her boss or whatever, to go pick it up. Making people look like bums scrounging around on the floor for things that do not belong to them – who wants that?. I would not like to put another person in that situation.
But, I can say that I am always in the minority of opinion when it comes to what people like and want. I say that if I don’t like it, it is most likely going to be a big hit:).
December 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I say, “Great promotion” and surprised to hear some people might see it as otherwise. Celebrating 136 years of business by giving away to unexpected recipients in this fun fashion is super cool. I think, from what I read that most people just aren’t paying close enough attention to what’s around them, and that’s why they walk on by. I doubt if any of the jewelry has been picked up and returned to the company.
We all need to stop prejudging opportunity as “too good to be true.” Great things come to good people when least expected.
December 5th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I see a white card attached to the gift box. I’m curious as to if it explains what this is about. If it explains the promotion, the finders would feel good about their discovery, and not like “bums scrounging around on the floor for things that do not belong to them.”
Ron; what does the card say?
December 5th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Good question Bill; The card says,
“Congratulations, you have found a free gift item from Hildgund!
In celebration of our 136th anniversary please enjoy this gift for you. This is one of 136 jewelry gifts being hidden around Hawaii throughout the month of December. It’s our way of thanking Hawaii for the support shown to our company all these years.
Please contact us and let us know where your gift was found.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season from Hildgund Jewelry!”
(Phone number and e-mail address)
And on the back is a description of the jewelry inside along with its retail value.
December 5th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I just read in Pacific Business News that the Hildgund gift boxes contain jewelry valued from $100 to $8,000. That’s no “scavenger hunt.” I wouldn’t be ashamed to claim anything in that price range, even if I had to bend over to pick it up.
December 7th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I just looked at the video of Ron placing one of these gift baskets and the happy winner. What a great way this is to pay back to the community. Congratulations Hildgund Jewelers.
October 28th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
it would be much better if we could buy a Jewelry box that is gem studded:*: