Diamond Sector Says 'Thank You' to Consumers

RAPAPORT... A new consumer campaign by the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) is emphasizing the positive impact of mined stones.Under the tagline "Thank You, By the Way," the program - which the NDC announced Wednesday - highlights the industry's sustainability efforts by explaining how consumers' diamond purchases have benefited producing countries and local communities."Your marriage proposal with a natural diamond just helped protect the endangered rhinos and safeguard 200,000 hectares across southern Africa," reads one of the ads, which will debut on the NDC's social media channels this week and on its website at naturaldiamonds.com."Your natural diamond helps provide access to education for children around the world, including over half a million children in rural communities," reads another, beside an image of a child reading a book.The "Thank You, By the Way" campaign will also appear in print in a special edition of fashion magazine Women's Wear Daily for the upcoming Couture show in Las Vegas. Visitors to both Couture and the main JCK Las Vegas show can view the full campaign at the NDC's booth, the organization said."For the last two decades, the industry has been doing this work, putting sustainability at the forefront of everything they do," said NDC CEO David Kellie. "But now more than ever, consumers have an appetite for it, they want to know the impact of what they are buying, and how their purchases are contributing to the regions and communities producing them. Through this campaign, we would like to thank our consumers for their trust and support in doing good around us."The campaign is part of wider efforts by the NDC to appeal to consumers through its main marketing project, "Only Natural Diamonds." The council - which carries out category advertising for the diamond industry - went through a rebranding last year, shifting its focus toward producing diamond-related content for potential shoppers.Image: A mock-up of one of the advertisements. (Natural Diamond Council)