Young lovebirds are on candid camera
Millennials have turned popping the question into a GoPro moment.
When Anthony Simonetti proposed to his girlfriend at a Boston restaurant two weeks ago, he reached into his pocket and pressed a button before presenting a special engagement box equipped with a tiny camera.
“She was speechless, then I told her to say ‘Hi’ to the camera,” he said.
In the era of Facebook Live, 20- and 30somethings are so intent on capturing — and sharing — the moment that they hide multiple cameras, hire a photographer or even use a drone. Simonetti turned to a relatively new product, called a Ring Cam, to record his proposal and upload it to social media sites.
A two-year-old Wisconsin start-up founded by four Hope College friends, Ring Cam has sold thousands of boxes directly to consumers and via a network of jewelers across the country. It’s on track to sign its 500th jewelry store this year.
As retailers try to figure out what makes millennials tick, Ring Cam promises to pro- vide jewelers with a pipeline of potential customers who see their friends’ videos and are inspired to do the same thing. As a perk, Ring Cam will also edit the videos.
“Each video turns into another customer,” said Ring Cam co-founder and Chief Executive Sam Tzou, who has created content for jewelers aimed at prospective grooms who provide their e-mail in exchange for advice on the do’s and don’ts of proposing.
The boxes cost about $100 to rent or $300 to own. Some jewelers are reimbursing the fee if couples purchase their wedding bands from the store or spend a certain amount on their engagement ring.
Smyth Jewelers of Baltimore — a 20,000square-foot megastore with three locations in the area — is luring millennials not only with a Ring Cam but also a fully stocked bar, live music in the parking lot and food trucks.
“We are serving mimosas all day long,” said Rhoula Monios, district manager. “And I can’t tell you how many guys drink a beer at 10 a.m. This is not your grandmother’s store.”