The “Real is Rare” campaign was launched on Oct. 5, 2016 and is a new take on diamond marketing. The popular concept, “A Diamond is Forever” is replaced by a different view – one that doesn’t necessarily end in getting hitched.
Relationships
Two kinds of relationships are represented in “Real is Rare,” and both are intended to evoke something more realistic and more familiar to the millennial customers that are the prime targets of these commercials.
“Wild and Kind”: In this ad, the couple are mindfully committed to each other after several ups and downs, and very traditional.
“Runaways”: We come across a twenty-something, exotic-looking pair who, after their first date, run away together to Thailand, and then to a third-floor walk-up.
The commercials boast of a sensual appeal in a way that diamond marketing usually doesn’t. The models are unconventionally beautiful. Both the commercials make use of the word “wild,” which is said to have come straight from the extensive market research by the DPA, in advance of the campaign.
Significance
The Diamond Producers Association found its existence in 2015 and comprised the globe’s seven largest mining companies, including De Beers. It has taken over the job with “Real is Rare.” The purpose of the new campaign is to sell diamonds to millennials. This demographic has proved to be vexing to the industry because it represents the age group that’s poised to walk down the aisle.
These two commercials are the first of many that are planned, with the third set to debut in 2017. The goal is to open the lens on how we view love, commitment and connection, reflecting the more open-minded opinions about relationships. It’s clear from these ads that these relationships are about creating a safe space in a chaotic world, rather than culminating at the altar. While the effectiveness of the campaign remains to be seen, the seismic shift in a seemingly old-fashioned industry is to be commended.
