The two industry giants are working together on a new marketing campaign.
De Beers Group CEO Al Cook (left) and Signet Jewelers CEO Gina Drosos met in Botswana earlier this year. Their companies are teaming up on a new natural diamond marketing campaign set to launch in Q3.
New York—Signet Jewelers and De Beers Group are working together on a strategy to promote natural diamonds ahead of an expected uptick in engagements in the coming years.
Citing its own research, Signet said it expects to see a 25 percent increase in engagements, particularly for zillennial (the portmanteau applied to those individuals born on the cusp of the millennial and Gen Z generations) couples, over the next three years as the effects of pandemic lockdowns fade.
The couples are expected to be of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and from the LGBTQIA+ community, said Signet.
“Natural diamonds are the perfect symbols to celebrate life’s most meaningful moments—they are as unique, timeless, rare and precious as the emotions they represent,” said De Beers Group CEO Al Cook.
“We now have the opportunity to connect a diverse new generation to the extraordinary attributes of natural diamonds.”
Signet has well-known brands, a wide store network, and digital know-how while De Beers has a track record of producing iconic campaigns—think the famous “A Diamond Is Forever” shadow commercials from the 1990s.
The two will release this new marketing campaign in the third quarter, complete with online content, influencer partnerships, in-store experiences, and targeted marketing messages.
In addition to the campaign, Signet’s 20,000 sales associates will be trained to educate customers about natural diamonds.
“Our selection of diamonds is unrivaled, and our jewelry experts know the ins and outs of the diamond purchasing journey and value proposition,” said Signet CEO Gina Drosos.
“Our team members overwhelmingly choose natural for their own purchases—more than four out of five times, in fact—which speaks volumes. We are looking forward to investing in new trainings and initiatives to equip our field team to share the natural diamond story with our customers.”
The employee training will include information about what makes diamonds unique and the socioeconomic benefits they provide to mining communities.
“I am so proud of the good that diamonds do for the people and places they come from,” said Cook.
“To maximize the reach and impact of our activities, we know that new approaches and strategic collaborations will be vital. This is why we are so pleased to be working with a leading retailer like Signet to share the story of natural diamonds with consumers.”
Signet said it plans to enhance its financing offers for customers purchasing natural diamonds.
The jewelry giant, which is a De Beers sightholder, also plans to continue to emphasize its responsible sourcing practices.
“When choosing a piece of jewelry, it’s vital to have complete confidence and trust in who you buy it from and how it was sourced,” said Drosos.
“Our industry-leading position in responsible sourcing is an asset we want to communicate to the next generation of diamond buyers,” she said, highlighting the company’s “Signet Promise,” which states its commitment to “upholding the integrity of the global diamond supply chain through responsible sourcing.”
Its supplier, De Beers, sources its diamonds in line with its “Best Practice Principles” and its “Building Forever” sustainability framework.
In conjunction with the marketing campaign, the pair also will launch a beacon campaign, first reported in JCK, which highlights a specific product, like De Beers has done in the past with three-stone rings, the right-hand ring, and “Journey” diamond jewelry.
The specifics of this campaign are not yet available, a Signet spokesperson said.
Source nationaljeweler.com
Image : De Beers Group CEO Al Cook (left) and Signet Jewelers CEO Gina Drosos met in Botswana earlier this year. Their companies are teaming up on a new natural diamond marketing campaign set to launch in Q3.
