Independents
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NYC jeweler scores big with Yankee Stadium promo
By Joseph Dobrian
January 15, 2009
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| Famed New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera was a spokesman for Michael C. Fina's engagement ring contest. |
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New York--New York jeweler Michael C. Fina played an historic role in the final days of Yankee Stadium as the 2008 Major League Baseball season drew to a close.
The Fifth Avenue jeweler's "The Final Engagement" promotion was a well-publicized essay contest in which a lucky (and brave) winner got to propose to his girl in front of a full house in the legendary ballpark--with a 1.5-carat Hearts On Fire diamond engagement ring (valued at $40,000) to sweeten the deal.
"The idea came from Jacklynn Manning, our media production manager, about a year ago," says Steven Fina, vice president of Michael C. Fina. "She asked us, 'Since Yankee Stadium is closing, how great would it be if we had someone get engaged right in the stadium at the Yankees' last home game?' I told her to run with it, so she called the New York Yankees, who thought it was a great idea."
The jeweler chose Mariano Rivera as spokesman because he, "to many Yankee fans, is the picture of perfection: a great pitcher, a family man and not overexposed," Fina says.
The promotion began with an in-store press conference attended by several local TV and radio stations as well as the print media. The following day, the store ran TV spots on two local channels and sent an e-mail blast to everyone on Fina's and the Yankees' mailing lists. As for the online component, the Web sites for Michael C. Fina, the New York Yankees and Hearts On Fire each publicized the competition.
Leading up to the event, Fina's store was decorated with Yankee themes and memorabilia, including a travel trunk from the 1927 season.
"The Major League Baseball Hall Of Fame was our partner, since this was the ultimate proposal for the ultimate fan," Fina says.
Teegan Conti, public relations specialist for Michael C. Fina, says that contestants registered for the event through Fina's or Hearts On Fire's Web sites, or through MLB.com (which attracted the most sign-ups). Contestants were sent to a "landing page," where they typed in their contact information and a 250-word essay on why they wanted to win the contest.
"The criteria were passion for the Yankees, passion for getting engaged and overall appeal," Conti says. "We got nearly 8,000 applications; for each one, $1 was donated to the Mariano Rivera Foundation (to help underprivileged children)."
The contest winner was Bill Davis of Elizabethtown, Pa., who wanted to publicly propose to Kate Cannon, his longtime girlfriend.
"Mr. Davis had been recently widowed and he had an autistic child, and he'd lost his home due to medical bills," Conti says. "His neighbor took him in--she turned out to be a very serious Yankee fan--and the relationship developed."
The jeweler had initially planned to announce the winner at the Yankees' last home game of the season, but was afraid the event would get lost among all the other events of that historic night.
Instead, Fina says, the event was held on the third-to-last home game: Thursday, Sept. 18.
"We met Mr. Davis two hours before game-time and gave him the ring and four tickets to the game--right behind home plate," Fina says. "Five minutes before the game was to start, the stadium's Jumbotron showed a video of Rivera at Michael C. Fina, then cut to a live feed of Davis. He got down on one knee in front of the whole crowd, Cannon broke down in tears, and they got engaged right there."
The bride-to-be was definitely surprised, as everyone involved had worked hard to keep the winner's name a secret.
"Was I afraid she'd say 'no?' Of course; I was on the edge of my seat--but I figured that in the worst case, it'd be on the morning news," Fina says.
Three other contestants were awarded $2,500 toward an engagement ring or wedding band at Michael C. Fina, and $2,500 toward any Hearts On Fire purchase.
"We're planning more events of this kind," says Fina, citing an in-store event for the Hearts On Fire "Architectural Collection," in which the jeweler would again partner with Rivera, with 15 percent of that night's sales going to his foundation.
"He and other celebrities will be there, and we'll be auctioning a variety of high-end items: a luxury vacation in Bora Bora, baseball memorabilia and an experience package--possibly the opportunity to play pool with Jeanette Lee, better known as 'the Black Widow,'" Fina said of the event.
Editor's note: This story first appeared in the December 1, 2008, print edition of National Jeweler.
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