Diamonds and guns… Hmm. This combination seems as strange as Paula Deen giving a lecture on how to prevent diabetes or hiring Kim Kardashian as the next host of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader ®.” The two just don’t seem to work together. Or do they?

In 2012, an Atlanta jewelry chain, D. Geller and Son Jewelers, created a tremendous amount of local and national buzz by running a promotional offer that gave customers a voucher for a hunting rifle with any purchase of $2,499 or more. The billboard read: “Buy Her A Diamond, Get A Free Hunting Rifle.”

In the past, jewelers in markets like Wisconsin and Minnesota have run similar promotions with modest success. But this time around, the market conditions for this type of promotion were perfect. First, it was a targeted (yes, pun intended) ad campaign, focusing on male customers. Second, in a state where hunting is a big deal, the promotion was in advance of deer hunting season. And finally, in a presidential election year, the topic of gun control is very relevant and tends to energize gun enthusiasts to buy more guns.

So for men—and even better, men who enjoy firearms and like to hunt—this gave them good reason to go ahead, bite the bullet (I know, I did it again) and get her a ring!

By all accounts, the promotion was a huge success. According to SouthernJewelryNews.com, D. Geller and Son Jewelers “tripled sales compared to the same period last year,” and “the media attention the gift-with-purchase program generated was nothing less than overwhelmingly phenomenal.”

This promotion illustrates what relatively simple, creative, timely, and targeted advertising can do for one’s business.

What type of creative promotion are you considering?