THE THEME “FOR Moments Like No Other” is at the core of the Natural Diamond Council’s global marketing campaign for fall, which was announced Wednesday, and will continue into spring 2021.
The campaign, the organization’s first starring a celebrity, features rising Hollywood actress Ana de Armas. The first 30-second television commercial is scheduled to debut Sept. 20 during the first half hour of the Emmy Awards broadcast and the campaign will continue through Mother’s Day.
David Kellie, CEO of the Natural Diamond Council, said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday that he hopes that the brand ambassador relationship with de Armas will continue indefinitely. De Armas received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Knives Out and will soon appear in the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die.
The campaign was filmed in coastal Portugal and highlights relationships and special moments. A series of shorter video segments will focus more closely on the individual relationships introduced in the 30-second spot. Adorned with diamond jewelry, de Armas will be shown in laid-back outdoor settings with friends, with a parent, and with a partner. The message? Diamonds are not solely the purview of romantic interests or formal occasions. They are meant for every type of connection.
“This campaign redefines traditional diamond moments, celebrating a variety of personal connections with these natural stones,” says Kristina Buckley Kayel, managing director of Natural Diamond Council North America. “It’s a more contemporary approach to the diamond dream, for meaningful moments large or small.”
Kellie says that while Google searches for diamonds, which he considers the best predictor of consumer sentiment, “dropped off a cliff” in March and April, they rebounded since May and have been in positive territory since. “We are at the start of this inspiring journey to re-establish diamond jewelry as the most desirable luxury in the world,” he said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “I see a positive outlook for this industry.”
Buckley Kayel says she believes that launching the campaign will resonate even more strongly than it would have prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. “There is a bit of escapism and a sense of hopefulness that people really need today,” she says.
It is also likely to stand out, she says, since it’s been challenging to shoot ad campaigns of this caliber, with this level of storytelling, this year. The ad campaign is directed by Manu Cossu, who has directed campaigns for Apple, Nike, Gatorade, Adidas, YSL and Dior, and photographed by fashion photographer Camilla Akrans, who has worked with Vogue, Laura Mercier, Cartier and Missoni.
“Consumer testing has been incredibly encouraging,” Buckley Kayel says.
The target audience for natural diamond jewelry, which is 21 to 45-year-olds with a household income of $75,000 and above, will encounter elements of the campaign at least seven times between September and Christmas, NDC research shows.
Following its Emmy Awards debut, the campaign will be featured in print media, including Vogue and Vanity Fair’s November issues, The New York Times, and in online publications ranging from Bustle to Who What Wear. It will be shown during TV shows including “Dancing with the Stars,” “Good Morning America” and “The Bachelorette.” It will appear on non-linear TV, from Hulu to Amazon Fire. The NDC will distribute campaign materials through its own channels, including its website, which will feature behind-the-scenes footage and an interview with de Armas, as well as information about the brands and designers that are seen.
Although some elements of the campaign will be available to U.S. retailers, the marketing materials featuring de Armas will be offered only to “predetermined retailers,” Buckley Kayel says. The organization will work with other retailers on emphasizing digital communications.
Some of the prominent looks showcased in the campaign include a diamond eternity circle necklace, stacking rings and sentimental jewelry. De Armas is also photographed wearing a diamond choker necklace as a headband in a wedding scene. “For bridal, it’s about throwing out the rule book,” Buckley Kayel says.
A selection of the designers and brands featured in the campaign, all of which use diamonds from the Natural Diamond Council’s producers, include Forevermark, Hearts on Fire, Anita Ko, KATKIM Fine Jewelry, De Beers Jewellers, Ana Khouri, Delfina Delettrez, Gabriel & Co, Zoe Chicco, Eriness, London Jewelers, Jade Trau, Lorraine Schwartz, Suzanne Kalan, Fernando Jorge, Vania Leles, Foundrae, Marla Aaron, Nikos Koulis and more.
The Natural Diamond Council represents seven of the world’s leading diamond producers. Kellie says that the diamond industry is unique in that it is an unbranded category selling a generic product.
“That led to less investment in the category in marketing and communications,” Kellie says. “This is a great first step to re-establishing diamonds and diamond jewelry for the future. We are here to promote sales and drive revenue. We are very fortunate to have the support of our member companies. Even during this very tough time they are recognizing the need to invest in this for the long term.”
In June the Diamond Producers Association rebranded itself as the Natural Diamond Council and dropped both its “Real is Rare” slogan and its “For Me, From Me,” self-purchase campaign. At that time its slogan became “Only Natural Diamonds.” Since June the NDC has also concentrated on developing a robust website with a wealth of new content.
This is also the first campaign dedicated to NDC’s “Only Natural Diamonds” platform, and the first marketing initiative by the NDC to showcase such a diverse roster of jewelry designers that work with natural diamonds in exceptionally modern ways.
Kellie said that in the past, natural diamond awareness campaigns were targeted to different regions of the globe. But in 2020, he says, a global outlook is more relevant than ever. “For us, it’s a global industry. The magic of the industry is that natural diamonds come from all different places in the world. We wanted that to be represented. We feel this audience is international now and inspired by diversity,” he says. “This audience is looking for a global reference.” So, in addition to the U.S., this campaign will run in the United Kingdom, China and India.