Bond Actress Revealed as New Face of Diamonds

RAPAPORT... The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) has unveiled actress Ana de Armas as the star of its first celebrity campaign, which will debut at next week's Emmy Awards.De Armas recently received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Knives Out, and will soon appear in the upcoming James Bond movie No Time to Die. The NDC approached the rising star as she "radiates with poise and modernity, and she epitomizes an ascendant, freethinking generation," the organization said Wednesday.Filmed in coastal Portugal in July, the advertisement shows de Armas in laid-back outdoor settings with friends, with a parent, and with a partner; the aim is to present diamonds' relevance beyond romance and formal occasions, the council explained. The main 30-second spot, which will air at the virtual Emmys on September 20, will complement a series of shorter videos spotlighting the various relationships that appear in the clip."This campaign redefines traditional diamond moments, celebrating a variety of personal connections with these natural stones," said Kristina Buckley Kayel, the NDC's managing director for North America. "It's a more contemporary approach to the diamond dream, for meaningful moments large or small."The NDC represents and receives funding from seven leading diamond producers, most notably De Beers and Alrosa. Formerly the Diamond Producers Association, it relaunched in June with an aim to attract younger consumers and act as a publisher of online content about natural diamonds through a new website, Only Natural Diamonds. This new advertising campaign - which will appear in the US, the UK, China and India - reflects the change of strategy, featuring the NDC's first Hollywood headliner, as well as being the first celebrity-fronted campaign for a generic diamond-marketing group."I'm lucky enough to own a few [diamond] pieces that are very special to me, and wearing them reminds me of those happy moments throughout my life," de Armas said in an interview with the Only Natural Diamonds site. "Whether I'm running to work, meeting friends for dinner or celebrating a special occasion, a beautiful diamond always makes it feel and look more special."Manu Cossu directed the campaign, while Camilla ?...krans was the photographer. Teasers will appear in the weeks leading up to the ceremony, with information about the campaign available on the NDC website from Wednesday. Following the Emmys launch, the campaign will feature in print media, including Vogue and Vanity Fair's November 2020 issues, as well as on streaming services such as Hulu and Amazon Fire.Image: Ana de Armas in the new campaign. (Natural Diamond Council)