Diamonds
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De Beers details 'unprecedented' holiday ad blitz
By Teresa Novellino
November 06, 2008
New York—Stressing the appeal of owning "fewer, better things," De Beers' newly intensified holiday marketing campaign will promote the diamond jewelry gift as a rock-solid "icon of enduring value" in rickety economic times.
With a marketing budget that is double last year's (precise figures are not disclosed), the campaign will encompass television, print and online advertising, Diamond Promotion Service (DPS) executives said during a breakfast presentation for the trade and the press at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on Thursday morning.
The ad blitz is expected to reach 97 million U.S. consumers, or nearly half the adult population, at least six times over the holiday season.
Earlier in the year, De Beers announced reductions in its U.S. marketing budget. But fresh research conducted in late October revealed that diamond jewelry still tops holiday wish lists of numerous Americans, with 46 percent of those who already own diamonds saying they want more, 84 percent of married women describing a diamond gift as one that represents "good value" and 87 percent of consumers overall saying they would rather buy something more expensive that is of greater value.
At the same time, discussions with jewelers concerned about the grim outlook for retail in the fourth quarter made it clear that an aggressive marketing push was needed, said Richard Lennox, executive vice president of JWT, which handles the ad account for the Diamond Trading Co. (DTC), De Beers' marketing arm.
"I know we are going to have a tough Christmas," Lennox said. "There is no underestimating the size of the challenge."
Though he doesn't think the rivalry with electronics for consumer dollars will be as fierce as last year when numerous gadgets came out, jewelers will still have to compete with electronics retailers hawking LCD television sets for $499, he said.
Still, the diamond-marketing team believes the messages of the campaign will resonate with consumers this year.
"There will still be a Christmas," said Claudia Rose, senior partner at the DPS. "Millions of men will still buy diamond jewelry...This is an unprecedented campaign for unprecedented times."
Key diamond ad themes The three big themes of the campaign are as follows: Diamonds are a gift that has enduring value; It's better to have "fewer, better things" than numerous disposable gifts that become worn out or obselete; Diamonds are the ultimate gift of love.
The campaign's centerpiece will be a revival of its 30-second commercial known as "Hands," which research has shown is De Beers' most "proven and effective" commercial. In it, an attractive married couple is shown walking through the park. They pass around an elderly couple, and the younger woman, wearing a three-stone ring, turns back to look at the older couple, who are smiling and holding hands.
To freshen up the spot, new music—"Stand by Me," an old favorite that became a hit for Ben E. King back in 1961—will be playing in the background.
The commercial ends with this voice over: "There are two things that last longer than time. Love is one of them. A diamond is forever."
Print ads will appear in magazines such as Fortune and Time, and both national and regional newspapers such as the The Wall Street Journal and The Philadelphia Tribune, with a total of 128 full-page color insertions running in national and local publications for the season.
Black-and-white ads, similar to those that De Beers has run in the past, will contain longer pieces of text that lean toward the philosophical and are punctuated with striking images of diamond jewelry.
One that is led off with the words "Fewer Better Things" in large type encourages the diamond jewelry purchase by saying that our lives are full of things, "disposable distractions, stuff you buy but do not cherish, own but do not love."
As for online advertising, a microsite at ADiamondIsForever.com will offer consumers tips on how to buy diamond jewelry and suggestions for the perfect gifting moment. E-mail blasts will go out to consumers who read publications such as Fortune, and banner ads will appear on Web sites such as those for CBS Sports, the Financial Times and the BBC. Search-engine marketing will be used to drive traffic to ADiamondIsForever.com.
In terms of specific jewelry, the campaigns will promote studs (the No. 1 item desired by women, according to DPS research), three-stone diamond jewelry, Journey diamond jewelry and engagement rings, Lennox said.
The heaviest push will occur in the last two weeks before Christmas.
Marketing pros from the DPS and the Diamond Information Center will be fanning out across the country to talk to jewelers in large and mid-size chains about sales tactics and to promote diamond jewelry to consumers in various regional markets.
Segments on diamond jewelry for the holidays are already lined up for the Today show and The View.
To get help at the counter, jewelers can visit DPS.org within the next week or so to download materials, such as posters for the back room, pocket cards and counter cards that contain the De Beers' campaign message.
The DPS will also offer talking points that can help consumers put prices into context. For instance, retail jewelers might point out that a pair of diamond studs, which can be worn every day with everything from jeans to a cocktail dress, might seem expensive, but it is comparable over time to what one might spend on a daily cup of cappuccino, Rose said. The hope is that this will resonate with consumers who even Rose described as being "unhinged" by the economy.
In any case, the consumer research suggests that the campaign is on the right track.
"People are moving away from lots of stuff," said Emmy Kondo, DPS planning director, who presented the consumer research during the presentation. "Eighty percent prefer one special gift over several small ones, and consumers believe diamond jewelry provides lasting value for their money."
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