Life with a diamond is just the same. But better…. If only consumers could think like that, life in the diamond industry would certainly be that much easier and sales would increase. Because we have not yet managed to align ourselves with other luxury products such as it bags, IPhones, etc.
Life “with” is better than life “without”. That, at any rate, is the message that Starbucks has decided to communicate in its new campaign: “Meet Me At Starbucks“. And you can take my word for it, or watch the video and see for yourself, it really makes you want to go to Starbucks.
The question is knowing how a diamond makes your life better? Or why I should REALLY want to be part of the big diamond family, to such an extent that I have to buy one? Or have one bought for me?
Although the advertising message may essentially be the same throughout the world, lifestyles are different. That is where Starbucks does so well. Everybody can identify with it: different ages, sexes, interests, habits and customs all blend happily. Obviously that’s easy, you go into a cafe— a Starbucks in this case —and you share something, enjoy a moment together, wherever you live. The video is stylish, between laughter and tender moments, a feeling of togetherness. As this is the era of viral videos it ticks all the boxes, don’t you think?
And what story can we in the diamond industry tell? Choosing the content of an advertising message is far from easy. But it is even harder for a product that is associated with so many fixed notions (just try talking about “diamonds” to someone from outside the industry to see what I mean…) and for which, for many years, no generic message, advertising or other, has managed to touch the end consumer.
From there, trying to find what diamonds could symbolize. A mammoth task.
So I ask each of you, what does “a diamond” mean to you? Why is it important to wear a diamond?
Is it a sign of love? A memory? A stone so rare that you think yourself fortunate to be able to own one, no matter how small? A gift that you offered yourself for your first real job?
And how did you choose it? Is it particularly pure? Or is it synthetic because you care about the environment? Please tell me, I would love to hear what you have to say, get to know your stories, to understand what diamonds represent for you.
And who knows? Maybe we too could make a film, or a book, with your photos, your lives, that says what MY day with MY diamond—YOUR day, with YOUR diamond, is like, all around the world…
Because we are, after all, “a community”, “a family” that comes together around diamonds, are we not?
But it is true that diamonds are not coffee. However, who says we cannot draw our inspiration from it?
Innovation in marketing by Tiffany & Co.
A little byline to conclude: Tiffany is innovating and that is worth spending a moment on. In its next advertising campaign, Will You?, the American jeweler intends to show couples, and in particular a gay couple (real). Or how to dust off the somewhat tired image of the jewel that you offer to seal your love. When you query how best to celebrate love, you also query how love is represented…
Find out more in Michelle Graff’s post on National Jeweler website :Tiffany uses same-sex couple in ad. Who’ll follow?
See also: Generic marketing: the million dollar question?
NB: The photograph that accompanies this article is a screenshot from Tiffany & Co.‘s great website with the current online marketing campaign, which is retro and fun, showing the “Concierge of love”… A great success in brand marketing!
