The association will be renamed and a suite of new consumer and trade websites, as well as new social media campaigns, are set to be launched from 1 June in the US and Europe, and 1 July in Asia.
The DPA’s previous marketing slogan, ‘Real is rare, real is a diamond’ and its website www.realisadiamond.com, will be abandoned.
Announcing the changes during a webinar last week, David Kellie, CEO DPA, said, “Everything that you’re more familiar with around the DPA is going to be relaunched and rebranded. It’s our objective to be the number-one destination globally for consumers coming into websites looking for information, inspiration and education around the world of natural diamonds.”
He added that the new campaigns would target younger consumers and “mid-income” jewellery customers, explaining, “The Cartiers and Bulgaris of this world do a wonderful job at the very high end [but] the audience we’re speaking to is much more of a mid-tier audience. They want luxury, but they don’t want to be patronised because they can’t afford high luxury.”
Rapaport News reports that the campaigns will focus on supporting local and independent jewellers and those located in shopping centres, who cater to these consumers.
Notably, Kellie emphasised that the new campaigns would not focus on disparaging the lab-grown diamond sector.
Kellie was previously head of US marketing for Watches of Switzerland and corporate senior vice president, global marketing and advertising, at fashion house Ralph Lauren. He was appointed CEO of the DPA in January, replacing Jean-Marc Lieberherr who had led the organisation for four years.
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