I’m annoyed. I keep hearing a radio commercial for Morgan Jewelers, and it’s seriously harshing my mellow. Sadly, I couldn’t find the audio online. I know! How are there still things I can’t find online? This video has a similar message, but it’s nowhere near as retch-inducing.
In the radio commercial, a man is proposing to his…girlfriend? It’s hard to tell, because she obviously has no affection for him. She informs him of her “engagement ring graveyard”–the rings from men she rejected. Did she reject them because she didn’t love them? Were they jerks? Did they beat her? Oh, no. They just didn’t buy the perfect ring. So her current beau produces a ring from (da-da-da-DA!) Morgan Jewelers, and she says, “I love it! I mean…you!” He says, “I’m so glad you like it. I mean…me.“
Hopefully this ad is tongue-in-cheek, but come on. Why are advertisers still perpetuating (even in a humorous manner) the myth that if a man doesn’t buy the perfect ring, his girlfriend will reject his proposal? I suppose there are women who would consider a lousy ring a deal-breaker, but these women don’t actually deserve happiness. (Ha! I kid! Sort of. They might deserve happiness, but if they’re basing marriage on a ring, I doubt they’ll be finding it anytime soon.)
Maybe it’s just my world, but I’m pretty sure trading affection for monetary benefit is prostitution. Isn’t it funny to do a commercial that shows what whores women are when it comes to diamonds? HA! See, ’cause they’re materialistic like that! They couldn’t care less how a man treats them–they just want a big flashy diamond!
I’m fortunate enough to have a lovely ring. It’s my second ring, because I lost my first (insured, thank goodness) wedding ring. Don’t you judge me. Car lost his ring too. Admittedly, it was worth several thousand dollars less than mine, but it wasn’t insured! So really, I totally win that one.
My point? I love my ring, but I love the man more. Rings can be lost, pawned, traded, upgraded…but Car? He’s here to stay. So just stop it, Morgan Jewelers. It’s not like the women who want the ginormous rings are going to shop at your store anyway.
BURN!
*If I seem a little off my game tonight, please forgive me. I’m staying at my parents’ house while Car is away, plus I’ve got a few hefty things weighing on my mind. I’m sure I’ll be blogging about them soon.
Like Swimming 
I have not heard this commercial. My diamond is practically invisible with a microscope and cost $300, but I love it and we didn’t go into debt. I just didn’t care.
I HATE that commercial with the fiery burning passion of a million suns!! Every time it comes on I quickly switch stations. It also makes me wonder why she still has all the rings from her would-be suitors… aren’t you supposed to give the ring back if you decline the proposal or break off the wedding?
What a ho-bag!!
with a title like that how could I NOT reply!! I totally agree with you. Haven’t seem the commercial yet….but don’t know that I am missing much. Morgan Jewlers were also ones that were trying to push a full carat at me while ring shopping. Even when I said I didn’t WANT a full carat…so we left.
Also, in reference to some of your previous posts, just know I am there.
When I got engaged, my fiance (now very much an EX-fiance) didn’t have a job and I’d just finished up my student employment and was facing UNemployment because I was no longer a student. He had NO money for a ring, so, because I buy myself jewelry, I had him choose a ring that I already owned to wear until he could A) get a job and B) have a ring made. 8 weeks later he decided I wasn’t good enough for him or something and dumped me in a rather horrible way. I didn’t have to give a ring back (although I had my mom keep it for several months) because it was already mine.
After all of that, I realized that it doesn’t even matter. I don’t even want a diamond. I would be very very happy with a 4mm gold band from WalMart. It’s the symbolism that’s important to me, and not the price. I wish more women could figure that one out and didn’t just blindly accept the whole “I’ll give you this pretty ring if you marry me (have sex with me whenever I want)” idea.
Heidi, thanks for stating so elegantly what I was trying to convey. I’m just sorry you didn’t have a ring you could keep when he dumped you. Pawning it would’ve been satisfying, no?
hahaha. I took a jewelry-making class the summer after, and one day, as I was using a torch to melt silver wire to make little balls, I thought how satisfying it would have been to melt down an engagement ring. With the diamond in the middle. And mail it back to him. Wrapped with a pretty bow.
Would’ve been AWESOME.
AMEN sister! I saw this happen (from the periphery) when a guy from my ward proposed to his dream girl. She flat out told him no because the ring wasn’t big enough. He was stupid enough to get her what she wanted. No surprise that after about 2 years of marriage she took off for a better deal. GAG! Advertising at its best!….right?
That’s just horrifying. I can’t believe he actually did it!
Why does Morgan Jewelers do this? Hmm, perhaps because they want to stay in business and turn a hefty profit? No salesperson in a jewelry store would ever dare say “If you get the smaller diamond she might say no” or the V-day favorite, “If you love the woman in your life the only way to show her is to get her diamonds.” But these companies can get away with saying it in commercials because even if the listener dismisses the commercial as untrue, the seed has been sown.
Thus, even if I heard the commercial and said “What a crock,” when I went in to get a ring there would be a prompting, perhaps subconsciously, telling me that I need a big ring to find success. It’s a tried-and-true strategy; why do you think all the male “enhancement” ads use the same methodology?
And don’t tell me advertising has no effect; anybody with a kid that’s been sucked in by ridiculous commercials (“Dad, we need to call in and get a Shark Steam Mop!!”) knows the true power of advertising, even if adults won’t admit it.