Although De Beers does not release sales results of its retail joint venture with LVMH, the company will certainly be in the limelight of jewelry industry mass media in the months ahead due to the coming Christmas season when it is usually expected to confirm its leading position in the diamond business.
According to israelidiamond.co.il, the latest innovative diamond concept has been launched by De Beers and participating DTC sightholders with the aim of increasing consumer demand for diamonds during the upcoming 2009 holiday season.
Based on the premise that the only thing stronger than a diamond is love itself, the "Everlon Diamond Knot Collection" draws its inspiration from the Hercules knot, an ancient symbol of strength.
De Beers stated: "The Everlon Diamond Knot is a tribute to the enduring strength of love; without the diamond, the knot would unravel. It is a symbol that even in the toughest of times, the strength of a couple's love never wavers."
De Beers disclosed that in a recently survey of American consumers, 61% of females and 58% of males expressed interest in acquiring an Everlon piece. Additionally, research conducted in June 2009 indicated that seven out of 10 women think "diamond jewelry is the most romantic gift a man can give a woman." Seven out of 10 women also concurred that despite a tight budget, they would be pleasantly surprised if men bought them diamonds.
As part of the campaign, De Beers created the Everlon name, product logo and a core collection of Everlon jewelry pieces. JWT has developed the marketing materials to be used in the campaign, including a website, print ads and a TV commercial.
Participating sightholders and retailers were permitted to create their own interpretations of the jewelry designs and to develop exclusive jewelry collections for participating fine jewelry stores. They will also take part in media funding for the diamond marketing campaign.
The Everlon TV commercial will be launched in November, directing consumers to ADiamondIsForever.com. Cooperative versions of the Everlon TV commercial will run in November and December, tagged by retailer participants. The communications plan will include print advertising beginning this month and will also include online initiatives and extensive PR support.
From all appearances, De Beers is not only upgrading its concept of Christmas marketing but its personnel policies in this field as well.
Sally Morrison, former head of the Diamond Information Center, just got promoted to interim director of the De Beers account at JWT, reported Rob Bates of JCKonline Magazine, who had a chance to interview the appointee.
Morrison notes the JWT account she is now taking charge of will have a very different focus this holiday. Its Christmas campaign will revolve around its (not-yet-announced) “big idea,” which will be promoted on TV and in print. This is similar to how it’s been in the past with JWT’s “beacons” – however, participation in this “big idea” is limited to the participating sightholders and the majors and independents they are signing up. (Here’s some background on how that will work.)
While the advertising arm will not do much “generic” promotion, its PR arm, the Diamond Information Center, (now headed by Jamie Cadwell) will still do some of the “traditional” generic work on behalf of diamonds.
Morrison says her appointment “is an attempt to stabilize things and not introduce new people. We have a strong team of people and we wanted to keep the group together. It’s really going to be a challenging season and most of the creative and planning work is pretty much done.”
Morrison’s appointment is “interim,” but she notes: “The world is interim right now. Everyone is very focused on doing the strongest possible job on this campaign. We feel we have some strong and very resonant messages to put into the market but there really isn’t a blueprint for a situation like now.”
