You’ve never heard of Signet Jewelers. But then again, you have.
Signet is the parent of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared, Blue Nile and a host of other in-line, online and off-mall specialty jewelry retailers. Signet is the world’s largest diamond jewelry retailer, and yet, just 16% of consumers know the brand. Now, here’s the rub: when it comes to the responsible sourcing of diamonds and protection of human rights in the global diamond industry, Signet has either founded or co-founded, written or introduced, every protocol enacted today that ensures people are treated with respect, communities are provided what they need to flourish and our planet is being preserved. In other words:
There’s a helluva story to tell.
From $7 to $108/share in 18 months
The rise of Signet stock (SIG) from the day I began as VP of Creative, Brand & Content. Depicted here is the effect of our Purpose and Signet’s ability to shift to an eCommerce, digital-first selling model. I created the narrative, and my group was tasked with augmenting it at every touchpoint — to 28,000 employees as well as our Signet Support Center teams. All messaging centered on Inspiring Love and the apt metaphor that “pressure makes diamonds.” When COVID eviscerated many retailers, Signet accelerated its transformation, and our Purpose helped fuel the ride.
Growing Signet’s Brand Reputation
With the launch of Inspiring Love, Signet’s brand reputation score rose — surpassing the retail industry average. With a redoubled focus on Glassdoor reviews from current team members, positive feedback skyrocketed (contributing to a +4% employee retention in 2022). And for the first time, Signet received not one but three consecutive certifications as a Great Place to Work company.
A new identity for a higher Purpose.
How can we modernize our corporate brand? How do we introduce “Inspiring Love” to our tens of thousands team members? How does our CEO seamlessly infuse our Purpose language into interviews with Fortune, Forbes and CNBC? The right questions were posed, and for months our small team created the new look, feel and tone of Signet Jewelers. I also named and created the brand identity package for Signet’s new philanthropic arm, "The Signet Love Inspires Foundation,” which focuses on serving under-represented populations in our communities and parts of the world in which we operate.
28,000 Team Members.
1 North Star.
Internally, we introduced a new moniker — a compass always pointing North. The “N” in “Inspiring” became a symbol of the march toward our Purpose. A chronograph-type design was used to indicate a sense of direction. This accent on the letter ‘N’ was deployed throughout our internal messaging with our values being rewritten in the “N” concept.
New microsite for HR where employees can scroll to a topic. Shirts as gamification “badges.” A Magic 8 Ball for daily inspiration.
Once an investor site, now a revenue-generating newsroom, telling our sustainability story and driving customers to banner sites.
The Signet corporate site (here) continues to drive more traffic than ever to Signet’s banner sites. Last year, that traffic generated >$110K in revenue.
The Results:
Signet became certified as a Great Place to Work three consecutive years, and is poised for a fourth certification.
Signet has hit #12 on Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Retail.
Signet’s overall employee rating on Glassdoor rose .9 stars, surpassing Tiffany, Brilliant Earth and Walmart. Plus, our CEO’s approval rating reached an all-time high.
Signet’s employee retention up 4% in FY23.
90% of Signet team members say, “I understand how my work contributes to Signet’s Purpose.”
90% agree, “When I look at what we accomplish, I feel a sense of pride.”
