The natural diamond industry needs coordinated and consistent marketing campaigns to counter declining demand, says Yoram Dvash, president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB).
In an open letter he calls on every member of the industry to help create a five-year plan, rather than relying on “short-term initiatives when the situation is particularly dire”.
He acknowledges that De Beers and the Natural Diamond Council are both spending millions of dollars on campaigns with leading retailers, but says it’s not enough.
“I am concerned that this is too little and too late,” he says. “To be successful, campaigns need to be coordinated and to be consistent throughout the year.”
He says there hasn’t been a major generic marketing campaign for natural diamonds for almost 20 years, when De Beers halted its “A Diamond is Forever” promotion.
“An entire generation of consumers has come of age without having been exposed to promotional campaigns with positive messages about natural diamonds,” he says in a letter to all the WFDB’s 29 member bourses.
Source: DCLA
