While few details have been confirmed, the updated campaign will focus solely on natural diamonds and feature jewellery designs sold through De Beers Jewellers stores and the De Beers Forevermark product line.
According to media reports, the campaign will take an “inclusive” approach, showing a wide variety of customers and moments for wearing diamond jewellery.
Speaking at the JCK Luxury Breakfast trade event in Las Vegas, Stephen Lussier, chairman and executive vice-president of consumer markets at De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, said that the group’s marketing would focus on “driving what we call ‘fame and love’ for the De Beers brand”, adding, “We have combined the marketing teams and budgets of De Beers Jewellers, De Beers Forevermark and De Beers Group. That means more compelling storytelling that has an opportunity to connect with all consumers.”
Earlier this year, the company rebranded its Forevermark jewellery to De Beers Forevermark as part of a wider transformation to turn De Beers into a “brand-led company”.
Notably, the company has also developed a new ‘quality mark’ for its diamonds called De Beers Code of Origin. The Code of Origin is a unique customised code, invisible to the naked eye but inscribed on the table of the diamond, which marks the stone as natural and conflict-free, mined by De Beers in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa or Canada.
In the US and China, Code of Origin will be applied to diamonds 0.30 carats or larger.
With the majority of De Beers’ rough diamond production currently sold unbranded, David Prager, chief brand officer, De Beers Group, explained the benefits of Code of Origin: “For most consumers it will create a step-change in the connection they have to the story of their diamond – not just where it came from and how it was sourced, but the positive difference it made in people’s lives.
“We will be working with our Sightholders and US retailers in the months ahead and will continue to look for further development partners to support our intention to scale the program,” Prager added.
New partnership to support river system
In addition, De Beers has also announced a new environmental scheme in partnership with National Geographic named ‘Okavango Eternal’.
De Beers will contribute significant funds and other resources to National Geographic for the next five years to support its protection initiatives across the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana and the wider Okavango Basin, which spans parts of Botswana, Angola, and Namibia.
The project will also support local communities in the region, including developing employment opportunities for 10,000 people and ensuring food and water security, as well as raise awareness of the challenges facing Okavango worldwide.
Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said, “De Beers has been in 50/50 partnership with both Botswana and Namibia for decades, making their people significant shareholders in De Beers and our commitment to the long-term sustainable development of the countries a core part of our business.
“However, many areas in southern Africa are still at risk, including the critically important Okavango Basin. That’s why our partnership with National Geographic is vital. By sharing our expertise and resources and working with local communities, governments and other NGO partners, we will deliver a positive impact that is far greater than what any of us could achieve on our own, and ultimately protects the natural world and improves people’s lives.”
Meanwhile, Prager said the Okavango Eternal project is part of De Beers’ wider effort to appeal to changing consumer tastes and values.
“There is compelling evidence that consumers are motivated to purchase based on your carbon footprint or the assurances you’ve given as a brand that you’ve done no harm,” he told US publication National Jeweler.
“But we also think [brands] need to be parts of a larger story. And the larger story is not that ‘I’ve done less harm to my competitor,’ but, rather, that ‘I’ve created a significant positive impact on people and the planet.’”
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