Catching a wandering eye
So how do you market to an age group with a revolving door of tastes who are already on to the next big thing before you’ve even heard of it?
Sam Mamane, owner of Italgem Steel Group, feels packaging is very important. “The look of the display case, the way the ads are presented—they’re full of colours and they’re attractive to the eye,” he says, adding the company’s ad campaigns use good-looking models to further entice potential buyers.
Hopkins has a different approach. “With teens, instead of trying to figure them out all the time, I like to give them the option and ask, ‘What do you guys want? Do you want to be like Miley Cyrus right now?'”
Arkarakas believes it’s all about the online presence. “Digital marketing is the only way to get to teens nowadays. It’s the only form of marketing that pays off,” he says.
Determining their bottom line
Speaking of payoffs, how much revenue can you expect from a group who, for the most part, works only part-time, if at all. While it’s fair to say teens usually have disposable income, that may not necessarily amount to much.
“You have to create jewellery at a more affordable price point that teenagers can buy on their own, instead of going to their parents and asking,” says Mamane.
Most teens tend to look for accessories, not a long-term commitment in the form of an expensive feature piece, meaning they want to buy more and spend less.
“We’re all willing to invest in a beautiful necklace that we’re going to get a lot of wear out of and really appreciate, whereas teens want fun and they want lots [of options],” says Hopkins. “Your price point has to be a little bit lower for them, so they can mix and match.”
Mamane agrees. “They’ll see something at the store for $59; they’ll take out their debit cards and buy it right away, as opposed to if they see a brand name bracelet for $500 and they have to ask their parents to buy it for them as a gift.”
For the average jewellery line geared toward teens, an ideal price point is considered to be around $30, or even as low as $15 for multiple items like bracelets, depending on materials. Prices can go as high as $100 before becoming too steep for an average high schooler’s budget.
