A diamond is forever … again. At an industry breakfast today in Las Vegas, top executives of Forevermark (including U.S. president Charles Stanley and CEO Stephen Lussier) and De Beers (CEO Philippe Mellier) announced that Forevermark, the diamond brand of the De Beers Group, will resurrect the most powerful slogan in the industry – indeed, the “best advertising slogan of the century,” according to Advertising Age – this holiday season in a series of 15- and 30-second TV spots, as well as a print and digital media plan for New York and other top markets.
The announcement was made to a full room of retailers who carry Forevermark, all of whom seemed excited about the upcoming campaign. Susan Eisen of Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry in El Paso, TX, said that while business overall has not been gangbusters this year, the Forevermark product has sold steadily, and she’s excited to see how the revitalized campaign will be received. Ashley Daily, marketing coordinator of Bremer Jewelry in Peoria, IL, said that she and her mother Ronda, the store’s owner, were “pumped” about the announcement. Bayardo Hannon Jiron, owner of Hannon in Baton Rouge, LA, said that the ecological message of Forevermark resonates with his younger customers.
However, some retailers who do not carry the brand remained skeptical. Mark Mazzarese of Mazzarese Jewelry in Leawood, KS, said that while the slogan is obviously a strong one, the brand itself does not have a compelling story to tell. He said that the company’s diamonds, which Forevermark claims are painstakingly sorted to find only the most beautiful specimens, are not all they’re cracked up to be – and that Forevermark does not prove or qualify its claims in any event. Tonia Ulsh of Mountz Jewelers in central Pennsylvania said that while the brand is a good one, she remained unconvinced that her store should add its product.
Regardless of your feelings about the Forevermark brand position, it’s clear that the tried-and-true slogan will add cache and value in the minds of consumers. Moreover, Forevermark executives hope to add meaning to the slogan by telling the story of the brand’s ethical and ecological position, as well as the long-lasting nature of the company’s carefully selected diamonds. And, they will fight subtly against the commoditization of diamonds. The promotional video shown during the breakfast included the line, “We don’t settle for rules based on paper.” The video also concluded with the catchy slogan extension: “There are two things that last longer than time. Love is one of them.”
During a time when the diamond industry is dealing with such upheaval, it can’t hurt Forevermark and its retailers to be able to tell a story beyond the 4 C’s. Retailers need a way to sell diamonds on the merits of their beauty, and Forevermark gives them a way to do that, as well as adding value through its ethical sourcing promise and girdle inscription.
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