Jared & Kay Jewelers hit perception low; face long-term issues

Ted MarzilliCEO YouGov Direct
March 08, 2017, 4:21 PM GMT+0

Consumer perception of both Jared The Galleria of Jewelry and Kay Jewelers just fell to four-year lows in the aftermath of a sexual harassment lawsuit against parent company Sterling Jewelers.

Perception declines for both brands, as measured by YouGov BrandIndex’s Buzz score, were sharper for women than men.

However, this current crisis is just part of a much larger long-term problem. Viewing the Buzz score chart for Jared and Kay over the past five years underscores a troubling seasonal cycle developing for both chains.

Annually, perception peaks every December holiday period and then trends lower for the remainder of the year, with the notable exceptions of February (Valentine’s Day) and early summer (graduation season) when the brands experience a more modest bump up.

That said, for the period 2014 through 2016, the December holiday peaks in Buzz score have been decreasing. For example, with Jared, this past December’s peak Buzz score was approximately half the level of what they were in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Kay displays a similar pattern, but began its lower holiday score trend in 2013, one year earlier than Jared.

YouGov BrandIndex’s Buzz score asks respondents "If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?”

Buzz: Jared & Kay

Buzz: Jared & Kay (Male, Female)