When it comes to brands that get a woman’s heart racing, there are few that hold a candle to Tiffany & Co. — no matter what the woman’s age. To that end, mother in tow, I eagerly headed to the Crosby Street Hotel in Soho on a recent afternoon for a love-themed event held by the famed jeweler. As arguably the jewelry Mecca most synonymous with love, Tiffany introduced this week a new website and iPhone application and they’ve teamed-up with director/writer/producer/actor Ed Burns for a short film to kick it off in style.
When I asked one of the Tiffany executives what made them opt for Ed Burns, I was told that there was never a question since Burns’ films are always about love and New York, the two essential components of the brand’s new launches. As for Burns, when asked how he knew his wife was “the one”, Burns said, “She’s Christy Turlington.” Fair enough. He popped the question to his now wife in Lake Tahoe with, what else, a Tiffany ring.
The short the Queens-born Burns directed is titled “Will You Marry Me?” (it’s on the site’s homepage) and features various couples talking about how they met, some of their romantic adventures, and proposal stories. Think of the short as a more high-brow version of the NY Times Wedding & Celebration short films. What makes the short particularly memorable is that in between the couple shots, there are gorgeous city shots. It’s also refreshing that couples of a variety of ethnicities and ages were used as well as both gay and straight couples.
After watching the video, the site and app invite users to browse four sections: Love Stories, a collection of audio slideshows featuring couples recounting memorable romantic moments from browsing for engagement rings to falling in love in Paris; Tiffany’s New York, a guide to the city’s most notable parks, gardens, museums, upscale restaurants; The Art of Romance, this section features a recommended playlist of romantic songs, films, and advice for couples, and the last section is called Love Is Everywhere, an interactive section in which users can tag (via a heart and initials) a map of New York and, if they choose, add a note (110 characters or less), about the romantic experience that occurred at that location.
In keeping with the love theme of the event, nearly all of the hors d’oeuvres served were heart-shaped (think heart-shaped truffle grilled cheese and heart shaped blinis with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, and caviar – yes, Tiffany gets everything right). A photo booth was also set up that printed guests images surrounded by a heart, and the piece de résistance was that the event was DJ’d by an adorable couple.
I was told by one of the Tiffany executives that the site would be updated regularly and I hope this trend of brands turning to notable figures to direct shorts continues (think Karl Lagerfeld for Magnum) because, at least in my opinion, it’s a more effective marketing tool than an average TV commercial most would just gloss over.
On a side note, it was recently announced that Tiffany & Co. donated $1 million to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund as part of a three year partnership that will include a $250,000 business development grant awarded to one jewelry designer. The recipient will be chosen by, among others, Tiffany & Co. CEO Mike Kowalski and Vogue’s Anna Wintour.
