Majors

Budget for Marketing Diamonds Upped to $57M

MajorsJun 07, 2017

Budget for Marketing Diamonds Upped to $57M

The Diamond Producers Association will have a lot more money to promote diamonds to millennials in Q4, the bulk of which will be spent in the U.S.

20170607_DPA-spot.jpg
The DPA’s new print ads contrast the age of mined diamonds--more than 2 billion years old--with the length of human relationships. The ad pictured here reads: “Anke & Guanchen have been together since last summer. Her diamonds are more than two billion years old.”

Las Vegas--This week in Las Vegas, the Diamond Producers Association confirmed what was first reported back in January--the mining companies will be putting more money into the association in order to promote diamonds.

The DPA, which started with a total annual budget of about $6 million, announced this week in Las Vegas that it has a full-year marketing budget of $57 million for 2017, $50 million of which will be spent in the United States. The remaining money will go toward expanding the “Real is Rare” campaign into India and China.

While the new commercials for the fourth quarter have not been shot yet, the DPA did unveil its Q4 print ads--which will run in magazines and across digital and out-of-home--during the annual Plumb Club breakfast, which took place Tuesday at Mandalay Bay.

At the breakfast, DPA Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Marquardt presented data that dispels the idea that millennials don’t like or buy diamonds.

She said that there are 80 million millennials in the United States, making them the largest generation in the country today. They account for 27 percent of the total population but make up 41 percent of diamond sales volume, and, like they do with so many other aspects of their lives, they share the stones on social media.

“Millennials have made diamonds social media stars,” she told the audience. “Diamonds are at the center of social conversation, all day, every day.”

Marquardt said the problem isn’t that millennials are disinterested in diamonds; it’s that the industry hasn’t “cracked the code” on how to effectively relay the story behind them, which has been the premise of the DPA’s marketing efforts since the association was founded--to find a way to get the next generation interested in diamonds.

The first of the new ads from the DPA is slated to run in the July issue of “People” magazine.

Developed by Mother New York--the same agency that conceived “Real is Rare” with the DPA--the five single-page print ads were shot in New York City in March.

They focus primarily on diamond jewelry for engagements and marriages with jewelry from the likes of Gillian Conroy, Danhov, Greenwich Street Jewelers, Beverly K., Leo Schachter and Pluczenik featuring Forevermark.

Jewelers will be able to use the ads in-store and in local media. Usage guidelines will be available for download on the DPA’s trade portal beginning in July.
Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

NJ Article image.png
PodcastsJul 23, 2026
Episode 7: Reinhold Jewelers on the Power of Relationships

Mildred Marcano Abrams and Yael Reinhold join the podcast to talk community connections, holiday plans, and preserving Reinhold’s legacy.

Trucks at De Beers’ Orapa mine in Botswana
SourcingJul 23, 2026
De Beers’ Production Jumps 88 Percent in Q2

Production also was up in the first half of 2026 but is expected to “substantially” decrease in H2 as two key mines undergo maintenance.

Silvia Furmanovich Enchapado en Tamo Wooden Wheat Straw Sun Earrings
CollectionsJul 23, 2026
Silvia Furmanovich’s New Collection Travels Back to the 1920s

“Art Deco” fuses ancestral techniques, rare materials, and modern perspectives as a tribute to the optimism and curiosity of the movement.

Brought-To-By-Article-Top-Image.jpg
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center Stage

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

Sissy’s Log Cabin Saracen Casino
IndependentsJul 23, 2026
Sissy's Log Cabin Opens Casino Store

The jeweler’s newest store is inside Arkansas’ Saracen Casino Resort.

Weekly QuizJul 17, 2026
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Kate Spade New York watches
WatchesJul 23, 2026
Movado Inks Licensing Deal With Kate Spade New York

The watch company will design, manufacture, and distribute Kate Spade New York watches.

Stock photo of loose polished diamonds
Policies & IssuesJul 22, 2026
Trump to Put 50% Tariff on Canadian Goods

The higher tax is set to go into effect in August and will apply to loose polished diamonds as well as precious and base metals jewelry.

DCA-NJ-article-1872x1052-060826.jpg
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce Solutions

DCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.

Monica Rich Kosann Enchanted Garden Cherry Necklace
CollectionsJul 22, 2026
Monica Rich Kosann’s High Jewelry Is Fruitful

The “Enchanted Garden” series features a cherry, lemon, and pear that each hold a little secret inside.

Liljenquist new Rolex boutique McLean Virginia
IndependentsJul 22, 2026
Liljenquist Beckstead Opens Rolex New Boutique

It’s located in Tysons Galleria, an upscale shopping center in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

NY Now exhibitor booth
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2026
NY Now Returns in August Under New Ownership

The show, recently acquired by Rockview Management Group, will be held at New York City’s Javits Center from Aug. 2-4.

The Retail Smith Principal Partner and National Jeweler columnist Sherry Smith
ColumnistsJul 21, 2026
Sherry Smith: Shattering the Illusion of the ‘Either/Or’ Diamond Market

Smith offers retailers guidance on creating an environment where natural and lab-grown diamonds can both thrive.

Emerald logo
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2026
Apollo Funds Completes Emerald Acquisition

Former Emerald President and CEO Hervé Sedky has transitioned to the role of senior advisor.

Graff Seraphina Brooch and Lina Pendant
CollectionsJul 21, 2026
Graff’s New Butterfly High Jewelry Brooches Metamorphosize

The 12-piece capsule collection transforms from brooches to pendants.

Rough diamonds from De Beers’ Gahcho Kue mine in Canada
SourcingJul 21, 2026
Anglo Reportedly Selects Gareth Penny’s Consortium as Top Bidder for De Beers

A Botswana government official told lawmakers Anglo has selected The Global Diamond Consortium, an entity chaired by Penny, to buy De Beers.

Stock image of shipping containers
Policies & IssuesJul 20, 2026
Tariffs on Brazil to Increase But Rough Gemstones Exempt

The new tariff, imposed after a Trump administration study, is 25 percent and will stack on top of existing tariffs.

Vhernier Freccia High Jewelry Necklace
CollectionsJul 20, 2026
Vhernier Transforms ‘Freccia’ Collection Into High Jewelry

The collection from 2014 has been reinterpreted into high jewelry with its signature triangular-shaped elements.

Attendees at the Jewelry Symposium
Events & AwardsJul 20, 2026
TJS Accepting Speaker Proposals for 2027 Event

Organizers are looking for presentations on topics like manufacturing, technology and research, bench work, gemstones, and sustainability.

HOWL Frida Venetian Glass Collar
CollectionsJul 17, 2026
HOWL Taps Shailene Woodley for ‘Home Sweet Home’ Campaign

Woodley is seen in the campaign wearing our Piece of the Week, the “Frida” collar featuring 13 pieces of hand-carved Venetian glass.

A diamond ring in a jewelry box
SourcingJul 17, 2026
U.K. Woman Pays £5 for £15K Diamond Ring at Car Boot Sale

A WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.

Unveiling Rarities
SourcingJul 17, 2026
Diamond Dealer Jeff Pancis Pens Memoir

The founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.

Gem Awards 2027 Logo
Events & AwardsJul 17, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination Period

Submissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.

Guzema Founder and Creative Director Valeriya Guzema and Co-Owner and CEO Mariana Lenha
EditorsJul 16, 2026
Q&A: Guzema’s Co-Owners On Its US Expansion, 10-Year Anniversary

Valeriya Guzema and Mariana Lenha look back on the last decade and discuss the Ukrainian brand’s first U.S. store.

Main camp at Ekati Diamond Mine
SourcingJul 16, 2026
Ekati to Close, Leaving Canada With One Diamond Mine

The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.

Necklace from Vhernier’s “Freccia” high jewelry collection
FinancialsJul 16, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Sales Soar for the Seventh Quarter in a Row

Jewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.

Grace Barden
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program Certifies First Advanced Apprentice Graduate

The graduate, Grace Barden, credited the program with helping her secure a job as a bench jeweler.

Jewelers of Louisiana 80th Annual Convention Logo
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
Jewelers of Louisiana to Host 80th Convention

The event, scheduled for next month in New Orleans, will include dinner, a custom jewelry design contest, and education sessions.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy