When your last name is Helzberg, entrepreneurial spirit runs in the family. Morris Helzberg opened the family’s namesake jewelry shop in 1915. His son, Barnett C. Helzberg, Sr., grew the family operation to 15 stores. Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr., took over in 1963, expanding from a local, family-run business to a nationally recognized chain of more than 200 stores across 23 states.
In the 1960s, the growth of Helzberg Diamonds was meteoric. And it all began with three little words: I am loved. Barnett, Jr., conceived the I Am Loved® slogan in 1967. A young lady named Shirley Bush had just accepted Barnett’s marriage proposal. He was ecstatic and wanted to tell the world!
Barnett started developing an advertising concept around his euphoria. He drew a lapel button with the words “I Am Loved” and wrote some ad copy that encouraged other young men to either buy their girls a diamond or give them a button.
Within weeks, the I Am Loved® campaign was announced in a newspaper ad in The Kansas City Star. It became a national movement. It seemed everybody — everywhere — wanted buttons.
Whether it was warming the hearts of sick children or far away soldiers, the I Am Loved® campaign became more than a jewelry store promotion. It even became more than a marketing phenomenon. It became an icon.