The Diamond Producers Association (DPA) announced at the JCK, Las Vegas yesterday that their 2017 full-year marketing budget will total US$ 57 million, which has been sanctioned by its Board of Directors. “Building on the success of the 2016 campaign, this increased investment more than quadruples last year's budget,” the DPA said.

DPA's Chairman Stephen Lussier commented: "The Board's decision is a major turning point for the Diamond Producers Association and the diamond industry. All Board Members are aligned behind the goals and plans of the DPA, which is now fully equipped to fulfill its mission of communicating to next generation consumers about the timeless beauty and emotional value of diamonds. We look forward to working closely with the diamond and jewellery trade and with other industry organisations to build a stronger future for our sector." 

Jean-Marc Lieberherr, CEO of DPA, said:  "The DPA team and agency partners are ready to execute ambitious plans for the second half of the year. These include multichannel advertising, innovative digital programmes, and high-impact PR campaigns. With an investment level of US$ 50 Million tied to the US market, this is effectively the full-scale launch of our 'Real is Rare' communications platform.”

He added: "Our first-half 2017 activities focused on optimising, adjusting, and extending the successful PR, digital, and advertising plans built in the US in 2016. We developed programmes around major 'tentpole' millennial live-viewing events, such as the Oscars and MTV Movie + TV Awards. Significantly, we also have built a team in India to launch the 'Real Is Rare' platform in that market in September 2017."

DPA had earlier conducted research to obtain insights into the minds of the present day consumers, particularly the Millennials. It was on the basis of insights thrown up by this research that the creatives of the upcoming campaigns in the US are based. 

DPA indicated that new print, outdoor, and digital display will debut at JCK on June 6th, and a new video campaign will launch in Q4 2017.  “The fully-integrated, expanded asset mix will allow visibility of "Real is Rare" across all major media platforms, including for the first time ever, select outdoor/cinema and print, spread across many verticals, such as bridal, fashion, and lifestyle,” the organisation said. “The media plan will now extend well beyond TV and digital, which have been in place since October, 2016.”

DPA said that it had also developed “industry advocacy and trade programmes”; and that in     Q4 this year, it will launch a new retail training support programme focused on the new diamond narrative.