Alex and Ani is continuing its omnichannel shopping strategy with ads on Facebook and Instagram promoting an in-store gift-with-purchase offer and featuring a Mother’s Day-themed video and a button that clicks through to a store locator for convenience.

The jewelry retailer is attempting to capitalize on Mother’s Day sales by enabling shoppers to receive a complimentary charm with each purchase of a necklace, giving them ample gift ideas prior to the holiday this weekend. Introducing sales promotions to coincide with major holidays is a smart move for accessories brands, as consumers on the prowl for the ideal present will be more receptive to social media ads and purchase incentives.

“Tying campaigns to a holiday, like Mother’s Day, gives consumers another reason to shop and makes it easier to select the right gift for the holiday,” said David Naumann, director of marketing at Boston Retail Partners. “Shoppers sometimes find it hard to find the right gift for their mothers and when there is a special gift with purchase, it makes the decision more attractive.”

Unclasping Instagram’s potential
Consumers scrolling through their Instagram and Facebook feeds may spot a sponsored ad from Alex and Ani, encouraging them to purchase any necklace through May 8 and receive a complimentary charm when they visit their regional store.

The ad includes a short Mother’s Day-themed video, featuring several children being played with and kissed by their mothers.

Individuals can click on Alex and Ani’s account name to shop its offerings directly on the mobile or desktop site, or press the “Learn More” button emblazoned at the bottom of the Instagram ad.

The button will bring users to the store locator on Alex and Ani’s mobile site, where they may input their ZIP code or city of residence to find a nearby bricks-and-mortar store.

The free charm promotion is only available for in-store shoppers.

The holiday angle
Alex and Ani is ensuring its products – which range from stackable charm bracelets to zodiac sign pendants – stay top-of-mind for consumers ahead of Mother’s Day this weekend by leveraging one of the most lucrative platforms for driving impulse purchases: social media.

Individuals may turn to their Instagram accounts to browse their favorite retailer’s posts and attempt to find some inspiration for gifts to give their own mothers. If they spot Alex and Ani’s sponsored ad within their feeds, they may be compelled to stop in at a local store and purchase a charm necklace for Mother’s Day.

The jewelry brand, which is largely popular with millennials and young consumers, has lately been tapping into mobile marketing tactics with increased determination.

An Alex and Ani executive at the NRF 105th Annual Convention & Expo stressed the importance of leveraging the data offered by mobile to create a better connection to the consumer, as exhibited by the retailer gaining insight from ereceipts (see story).

Meanwhile, last fall, Alex and Ani merged engaging content with commerce in a comprehensive new app, a move designed to further build the brand and drive mobile sales (see story).

Including a call-to-action to use the retailer’s store locator tool may also help drive sales, but runs the risk of alienating online-only shoppers.

“If retailers want to drive more traffic to their physical stores, integrating store locator pages with online ads is a smart idea,” Mr. Naumann said. “However, if your goal is to inspire immediate online purchases, store locator pages my cause shoppers to pause and think about visiting the store before buying.

“This could be risky, as some shoppers my never make it to the store and forget to return to the retailer’s Web site to complete the purchase.”