Marla Aaron Jewelry Launches ‘Jewelry At Work’ Campaign Throughout New York City

Marla Aaron Jewelry launches ‘Jewelry At Work’ campaign throughout New York city with interactive treasure hunt and gritty multimedia creations.

Partnering with Brooklyn’s Something Different agency, Aaron launched her debut campaign during New York Fashion Week 2021.

Earlier this month, innovative fine jeweler Marla Aaron partnered with the Brooklyn-based creative agency Something Different to develop an imaginative and interactive debut campaign, showcasing her eclectic and functional, hardware-inspired designs in a bold and unexpected manner. “Jewelry at Work” launched on September 7 during New York Fashion Week 2021, with eye-catching posters plastered throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Bolstered by social media posts and ads, the multi-media project also included a thrilling treasure hunt throughout the city and will continue throughout fall with fresh creatives in the digital edition of the New York Times, as well as on Pinterest, the only social platform selected for the campaign’s media buy.

Incorporating the tagline, “What Will You Do With It?,” Jewelry at Work was shot on location in Red Hook, Brooklyn by Scottie Cameron, whose recent work includes campaigns for Vogue Hong Kong and Bvlgari, Johnnie Walker, and Puma. The striking visuals featured Aaron’s necklaces and bracelets in “the wild,” literally being put to work—replacing the netting of a basketball hoop, securing a chain-link fence, and holding up a park swing—all of which emphasized the industrial and interchangeable nature of Aaron’s work.

Aaron announced the accompanying treasure hunt on September 10. “Jewelry. New York City. Games. That’s what our ‘campaign’ is about,” captioned Aaron on Instagram. “We’ve never done a campaign before and it feels wild and surreal that we are. Today, in celebration of said campaign, we’re playing a game. I love games.”

Three branded stickers with QR codes were placed throughout Manhattan in locations that were meaningful to Aaron, including on the corner of Grand and Allen streets (where the jeweler’s career began), Fifth Avenue and East 43rd Street (where Jewelry at Work posters were prominently displayed), and the Tompkins Square Park basketball court (where one of the most arresting images from the campaign was shot). Each sticker represented a special piece from the Marla Aaron Jewelry Collection: a gold Original Lock (one of Aaron’s signature pieces) on a 32-inch Heavy Curb Chain; a green-gold Pulley (to mark Aaron’s new Fiddling Series) with a Babylock on a Biker Chain; and a solid-gold Trundle Lock Bracelet, which features prominently in the campaign’s basketball hoop shot.

Led by clues on Aaron’s Instagram Stories—thousands of “Jewelry Hunters” scoured the city, while followers and influencers spread word of the game. The response was overwhelming: all three prizes were claimed within 79 minutes, while fans from around the globe—from New Orleans to Kolkata and Hong Kong to Amsterdam—begged Aaron to bring her treasure hunt to their cities.

Aaron and Something Different previously collaborated on a short film for the Marla Aaron Jewelry Vending Machine. 2019’s “Love Is Everything” delivered a timeless message about love for Valentine’s Day, as children aged 3-13 recited the words of the Shakespearian sonnet, “My Mistress’s Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun.”

As Something Different co-founder Patti McConnell says, “It’s not often you work with a brand that has such a defined and original personality, or such unique and frankly gorgeous products. So it was a pleasure to get to play with Marla’s team again and create advertising that not only works hard, but so beautifully captures her spirit of playfulness—all while celebrating the beauty and craftsmanship inherent in every one of her pieces. It was a wonderful reminder of the amazing skill and artistry of humans and our capacity for fun and joy. Something we could do with remembering these days.”

At the top of the year, Aaron launched her “Take a Seat for Restaurants” campaign, in which she designed a tiny, sterling silver chair figurine. All proceeds from the piece benefit José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, which, amid the pandemic, supports the struggling restaurant industry while also feeding those in need. Featured in Food & Wine and InStyle, among others, the two-inch-tall pendant can be found on Aaron’s website and was previously available via the Jewelry Vending Machine, which was placed in New York’s Rockefeller Center in February 2021.

Most recently, Aaron received attention from the likes of People, Daily Front Row, and alexa for her annual “Lock Your Mom” campaign, which recognizes the work, love, and self-proclaimed “!!!” of single moms. A single mother herself, Aaron launched the initiative in 2016, giving away 50 exclusive sterling silver heart locks to nominated mothers. The campaign has grown each year, and in 2021, after the challenges of the pandemic, Aaron extended her giveaway to 1500 nominated moms.

ABOUT MARLA AARON JEWELRY

In 2012, advertising executive-turned jeweler Marla Aaron transformed her passion into a profession with the launch of her groundbreaking first collection. Since then, she has continued to turn heads with her utterly unique, clever designs and whip-smart marketing initiatives. Combining her obsessions with bridges, hardware, and jewelry, Aaron creates stunning interchangeable pieces, allowing her devotees to build one-of-a-kind works of art that can be worn in infinite ways. Aaron’s work has been featured in Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Elle, and Real Simple, among many other outlets.