De Beers is bringing back its classic “A Diamond Is Forever” slogan for its Forevermark advertising, the company announced at its annual Forevermark breakfast at the Four Seasons resort in Las Vegas on May 28.
First coined in 1947 by a bleary copywriter at 3 a.m., the slogan was used for decades and spawned books, songs, and movies. In 2000, Advertising Age christened it the “slogan of the century.”
But when De Beers gave up generic diamond promotion, the slogan—often considered the most potent arrow in its quiver—retreated a bit. For a time, its retail chain, De Beers Diamond Jewelers, was meant to use it, but Forevermark CEO Stephen Lussier said, “Forevermark is a much bigger proposition.”
“We are thrilled to bring this incredible equity back,” said Lussier, as the room erupted in applause. “It is a powerful idea that is overdue to come home to America.”
The awareness of the slogan remains extraordinarily high, even among young consumers.
“The millennials have all heard about it,” Lussier said. “If you ask the older generation what does it mean, they will tell you and talk about timelessness. If you talk to the millennials, they will just say, ‘I just know it.’ ”
So the company needs to reintroduce it to younger consumers, most likely through a digital campaign.
