The ’'Real is Rare” marketing platform, which has been in development for six months, marks the first advertisement created specifically for the diamond sector in more than five years and the debut campaign by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA).
The DPA is said to be the first international representative organisation of diamond mining companies, consisting of founding members Alrosa, De Beers Group, Rio Tinto, Dominion Diamond Corporation, Lucara Diamond Corporation, Petra Diamonds and Gem Diamonds.
It was established one year ago with an annual budget of US$6 million (AU$8 m) and given a remit to stimulate demand specifically for the jewellery category.
The campaign, carrying the full slogan “Real is Rare. Real is Diamond”, was announced during a presentation at the recent Las Vegas JCK trade show.
Video footage is understood to have been shown at the fair but it has not yet been released to the public.
According to a DPA statement, it is hoped the initiative would stimulate the industry by redefining what diamonds meant in the 21st century in order to forge new connections with Millennials.
"This is an important milestone for the diamond industry,” DPA chairman Stephen Lussier said.
“The DPA members coming together to launch this campaign will create a new cultural movement around diamonds that we are confident will benefit the entire industry."
While the media plan had not been finalised, a DPA statement indicated the campaign would initially focus on digital and social media channels to reach its desired demographic.
Marketing theory revealed
In-depth research conducted on the Millennial demographic ahead of the announcement informed the idea behind the tagline.
“Our research reveals that Millennials long for real, lasting connections with others, but struggle to make them – or to feel sure they are truly authentic – in a world of constant flux, seemingly limitless choice, and superficial interactions,” the DPA statement read.
“The idea that diamonds have the gravitas and power to celebrate and mark an authentic connection resonates deeply with them.”
The organisation, which partnered with advertising agency Mother New York on the project, believed this would be “the beginning of a dialogue” with current and future consumers and indicated there would be continued investment in the campaign.
The slogan has already drawn comparisons with the De Beers’ “A Diamond is Forever” line developed in 1947.
Many in the industry considered De Beers’ advertising efforts as crucial to propping the diamond market so the decision to cease its generic diamond advertising and marketing in 2000 when it abandoned its estimated $200 million annual consumer-marketing spend was widely criticised at the time.
De Beers is now a founding member of the DPA, which was set up with the aim of filling that gap in the hopes of developing and promoting the global diamond industry.
It is said the latest campaign would appear in the US initially. There is no word yet on whether it will be rolled-out to other markets, including Australia, in the future.
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