DPA to Rebrand, Abandon 'Real Is Rare'

RAPAPORT... The Diamond Producers Association (DPA) has revealed plans for a radical overhaul that will see it change its name, drop the "Real Is Rare" tagline and introduce a new advertising campaign for the holidays.Starting June 1, the marketing group will unveil a fresh identity and launch new consumer and trade websites and social-media campaigns, David Kellie, the DPA's new CEO, said Tuesday in a webinar organized by De Beers."Everything that you're more familiar with around the DPA is going to be relaunched and rebranded," said Kellie, a former Ralph Lauren marketing executive who succeeded Jean-Marc Lieberherr as CEO of the DPA in January. At the core is a new site to replace Realisadiamond.com, which will go live June 1, offering information on diamonds and transforming the DPA into a publisher of content. It will also be "hyperactive" on social media over the summer, Kellie said."It's our objective to be the number-one destination globally for consumers coming into websites looking for information, inspiration and education around the world of natural diamonds," he explained.The relaunch in the US and Europe is scheduled to take place June 1 via a webinar, followed by Asia on July 1. The organization will focus on developing the websites and its social-media presence through August and will then roll out its holiday campaign from September, targeting a largely younger audience. "The consumer that we're speaking to is younger than currently is buying jewelry," he explained. "We need to attract a younger audience and speak to them in a language that is different from what they're currently [being] spoken to [in]."The DPA was established in 2015 with the mandate to develop category marketing on behalf of the diamond industry. That came after De Beers shifted away from generic marketing toward a more brand-centric strategy with the launch of Forevermark in 2008. Funded by seven of the largest mining companies, notably De Beers and Alrosa, the DPA's campaign has until now centered on the "Real Is Rare, Real Is a Diamond" concept, promoting the idea that natural diamonds capture the real emotions between couples. The new-look DPA won't be there to attack the lab-grown sector, Kellie stressed, but added that it would continue to work to ensure the "integrity" of the diamond industry. The new campaigns will focus on the mid-income segment of the market, supporting businesses such as local and independent jewelers and those located inside malls. "The Cartiers and Bulgaris of this world do a wonderful job at the very high end," he explained. "The audience we're speaking to is much more of a mid-tier audience. They want luxury, but they don't want to be patronized because they can't afford high luxury."Image: Rough diamonds. (DPA)