When writing last week’s post on Alrosa’s new Russia-based diamond brand—my piece was inspired by this New York Times story—I reached out to Alrosa’s spokesperson Jane Kozenko with some questions. This week, she sent me some answers, which are interesting enough that they merit their own post.
For your new brand, are you introducing any kind of new tracking system?
Yes and no. The idea of tracing is not new. Many companies are thinking about of it now, and many of them are implementing something. We understand that being the world leader in diamond mining, we should provide the consumer with full guarantees of the authenticity of our diamonds and tell them the story of its origin. Given the demand for this kind of information, we would like to give not just very detailed data, but make it interesting and easily understandable. Therefore, we are now looking at different systems that are being developed in the market and looking for the most acceptable solution.
Do you plan to give the brand a particular name?
Yes, and we would like it to become a trusted name. That is why we consider the basic tracing system important—its reliability, scalability, customer focus. We see demand from the market and understand that the Alrosa name speaks a little to a majority of consumers. So the title of the tracing platform and its marketing support is one of the keys.
Who is your target audience?
All the people interested in traceable diamonds. First, millennials who show adherence to ethical consumption. They are not the same as their parents, they are choosing responsibly and want to know more about the product. In addition, well-off people—those who buy not small, but at least medium-sized diamonds. I think two factors play a role here: not only the ethical side of the issue, but also the need for confidence that they are investing their money correctly.
Do you have any thoughts about the issue the Times mentioned—about how the perception of Russia has now turned negative among some in the United States?
These concerns were anticipated, but we do not see it as a threat.
The project is not focused on the U.S. market only. Of course, we are interested in the U.S., as it’s the largest diamond consumption region. But we will present it to all the markets. Actually, there will be an online platform at the core, available from every country. And even if we talk about “negative perception” in the U.S., we believe that not all people think stereotypically and make decisions based on news about politics on TV. Ethical standards of diamond mining are more important to consumers, and in this sense, Alrosa is an impeccable company, which is a core supporter of Russian north regions’ development.
