The Diamond Producers Association’s “Real is Rare” Campaign: Reshaping Consumer Perception and Driving Diamond Desire
The Diamond Producers Association (DPA) has announced significant success with its “Real is Rare” marketing platform in the United States, effectively transforming how its key demographic – individuals aged 21-34 – perceives natural diamonds. This strategic initiative, designed to connect with a new generation of consumers, has clearly resonated, leading to a demonstrable increase in positive sentiment and interest.
According to an independent, cross-media study conducted by Kantar Millward Brown (KMB), a renowned global research agency, every single media channel utilized in the campaign played a crucial role in fostering positive perceptions of and a deeper affinity for natural diamonds. The cumulative effect of these efforts was substantial, with sentiments such as overall favorability, a keen interest in acquisition, and an enduring love for diamonds experiencing a marked and measurable uplift among the target audience. This robust data underscores the effectiveness of DPA’s multi-faceted approach to modern luxury marketing.
Strategic Investment and Unprecedented Reach
Between June 2017 and June 2018, the DPA allocated a substantial $40 million to these influential campaigns. This significant investment yielded impressive results, generating an astounding 1.5 billion media impressions among millennial consumers. This level of exposure highlights the campaign’s pervasive presence across various digital and traditional platforms, ensuring the “Real is Rare” message reached its intended audience with considerable frequency and impact.
The campaign’s success was meticulously engineered through a diversified media mix, carefully chosen to maximize reach and engagement. A primary focus was placed on television and digital video, accounting for 43 percent of the media spend. This ensured broad visibility and the ability to convey emotional narratives through dynamic visual content. Digital and social media platforms were equally prioritized, receiving 42 percent of the investment. This emphasis on digital channels was crucial for connecting with millennials where they spend a significant portion of their online lives, facilitating interactive engagement and viral potential.
Complementing these digital-first strategies, print media still played a role, albeit smaller, with 10 percent of the budget, targeting specific, discerning audiences. Additionally, strategic out-of-home (OOH) advertising, including cinema placements, captured 5 percent of the spend, providing immersive and memorable brand experiences. This holistic media strategy allowed the DPA to achieve an exceptional average reach of 98 percent of its core audience, with each individual exposed to the campaign approximately 20 times over the course of the year. Such high frequency is paramount in brand building, ensuring message retention and reinforcing brand identity effectively.
Creative Excellence and Emotional Resonance
Beyond the strategic deployment of media, the creative assets themselves proved remarkably effective. The Kantar Millward Brown study specifically highlighted the prowess of DPA’s latest emotional storytelling pieces, “The Other Party” and “Reveal.” These compelling narratives were instrumental in significantly increasing consideration for purchasing diamond jewelry, alongside cultivating more favorable opinions of diamonds and deepening consumers’ emotional connection and love for them.
The power of emotional storytelling cannot be overstated, particularly in the luxury sector. For natural diamonds, which are inherently tied to significant life moments and profound emotions, campaigns like “The Other Party” and “Reveal” transcend mere product promotion. They instead tap into universal human experiences of love, commitment, celebration, and self-expression, positioning diamonds not just as objects but as powerful symbols. This approach resonates deeply with millennial values, which often prioritize authenticity, personal meaning, and experiences over material possessions alone. By linking diamonds to genuine, rare, and personal moments, the DPA successfully reinforced the enduring symbolic value of these precious gems.
Key metrics from the KMB study underscore this creative effectiveness:
- Consideration of diamond jewelry purchase: A remarkable increase of +81 percent compared to the KMB top 2 box norm. This indicates a dramatic shift in consumer intent, with a significantly larger proportion of the target audience now actively considering diamonds for future purchases. Such a substantial uplift is a powerful indicator of campaign success in influencing buying behavior.
- Campaign likability: An impressive +6 points increase versus the KMB norm. High campaign likability is crucial as it fosters a positive association with the brand and its message, making consumers more receptive to future communications and strengthening overall brand affinity.
Leadership Perspective: Moving the Needle on Consumer Sentiment
Deborah Marquardt, Chief Marketing Officer of the DPA, expressed immense satisfaction with these results, stating, “We are very pleased with the results, which confirm we are moving the needle on consumer sentiment.” Her statement reflects the DPA’s confidence that their strategic efforts are indeed altering the landscape of consumer perception and desire for natural diamonds. This “moving the needle” is not just about awareness, but a fundamental shift in how diamonds are valued and understood by a critical demographic.
Marquardt further elaborated on the evolving consumer perception: “We see desire for diamonds improving, with consumers saying that diamonds are the ultimate gift of love, and an important part of rare and special relationships.” This insight is pivotal. It demonstrates that the DPA’s messaging has successfully reinforced the intrinsic emotional value of natural diamonds. In an age where authenticity and meaningful connections are highly prized, positioning diamonds as the “ultimate gift of love” and a symbol of “rare and special relationships” aligns perfectly with the aspirations of modern consumers. It moves beyond superficial materialism, anchoring diamonds in the realm of deep personal significance and enduring emotional bonds.
Future Trajectory: Expanded Investments and Evolving Strategy
Building on this momentum, the DPA is poised for even greater investment in its global marketing efforts. As previously reported, the DPA’s annual global budget is set to increase substantially to $70 million. A significant portion of this, $50 million, will be strategically invested in the US market alone. This increased allocation will support a comprehensive range of initiatives, including paid media campaigns, robust public relations (PR) programs, insightful market research, educational outreach, and critical advocacy initiatives. This multi-pronged investment strategy reflects a long-term commitment to nurturing the natural diamond market and ensuring its sustained relevance.
Specifically within the US, the DPA plans to invest approximately $20 million between July and December 2018 in paid media alone. While maintaining the successful “Real is Rare” campaign in the market through the end of Q4, the DPA is also planning to debut new campaign assets in late Q3. A particularly strategic focus of these new assets will be female self-purchasers. This demographic represents a growing and increasingly influential segment of the luxury market. Empowered women buying diamonds for themselves, as symbols of achievement, independence, and self-love, is a significant trend that the DPA is actively embracing and supporting. This adaptation underscores the DPA’s agility in responding to evolving consumer behaviors and expanding the narrative of diamond ownership beyond traditional gifting occasions.
The Journey Ahead: Continuous Engagement and Industry Partnership
In her concluding remarks, Deborah Marquardt emphasized the long-term perspective of the DPA’s mission: “We recognize that we are still in the beginning stage of a long consumer journey.” This acknowledges that building and maintaining strong brand affinity in a dynamic market is an ongoing process, requiring continuous effort and adaptation. The DPA is committed to a philosophy of iterative learning, adapting its strategies based on market insights and consumer feedback.
“We are learning as we go, and look forward to continued engagement and partnership with the industry and other stakeholders to inform our path forward,” Marquardt added. This highlights the collaborative spirit central to the DPA’s approach. By working closely with diamond producers, retailers, and other industry stakeholders, the DPA aims to create a unified and compelling message for natural diamonds globally. This collaborative ecosystem is vital for ensuring the sustained health and growth of the entire natural diamond industry, fostering innovation, and collectively reinforcing the unique and enduring value proposition of natural diamonds in a competitive luxury landscape.
The success of the “Real is Rare” campaign marks a pivotal moment for the natural diamond industry. By strategically investing in compelling, emotionally resonant marketing and demonstrating a clear understanding of millennial values, the DPA has not only enhanced consumer desire but has also laid a robust foundation for future growth and continued relevance in the hearts and minds of consumers worldwide.
News Source: gjepc.org