This week I received an email offering me a limited edition Diamond Jubilee bracelet. I don’t know what came over me. I opened up the attachment, followed the link, took a look and well… I BOUGHT IT. For £26 I am now the patriotic owner of a dark grey braided cord featuring a single shiny brass crown complete with Czech stone. (Have a sneaky peak and see what you think… http://shop.stelladot.co.uk/style/b2c_en_gb/elizabeth-bracelet.html)
Have I suddenly become a flag-waving Royalist?
Until now the most gung ho I’ve ever been about our Sovereign has been a battered Union Jack cushion on the sofa.
But Diamond Jubilee fever is contagious and spreading at a wild pace. Just take a look down any of our High Streets and a curtain of red, white and blue has cloaked our shop windows.
London’s West End is hanging 500 Union Jacks as part of the Great British Fashion Flag showcase and will be seen by more than 12 million shoppers and tourists. That alone will inspire many to pop in and purchase some commemorative token of history.
Across the UK, councils have received 6,500 applications for road closures from people wanting to hold a street party (that’s 500 more than last year’s Royal Wedding) – just think of that in terms of bunting and sausage rolls.
And the great thing is – there’s nothing quite like the HRH brand. With the Olympics six weeks later, this summer is a time to celebrate all things Great Britain and everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon, from cuddly corgis in Debenhams to vintage inspired lingerie at M&S.
The price tags are vast too, for £654,000 you can get one of 60 specially designed Diamond Jubilee Bentley Mulsanne or for £2.80 a new rebranded jar of MA’AMite.
Not everyone is thrilled about flying the flag. A minority has moaned that the extra bank holiday will be a cost to businesses. But for the High Street and their brands, Richard Barrett of Initial Marketing says it is an excellent opportunity to connect with the public and inject this feel good factor into store promotions. See his ideas on how to really take advantage here: (http://www.thedrum.co.uk/opinion/2012/04/30/how-can-businesses-take-advantage-queens-diamond-jubilee )
One thing is sure, by the end of the summer our wardrobes will be rammed full of Union Jack sequined-shirts, our kitchens over run with crown printed tea towels and knick- knacks galore (‘limited edition’ bracelet anyone?) that won’t ever see the light of day again. But no one can accuse us of being Diamond Jubilee party poopers.
FURTHER READING
http://world-most-expensive.com/queen-diamond-jubilee-celebration
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