Debeers - Case

De Beers: Diamonds are for Asia

Strengths:

• There are commonalities in diamond perceptions more than differences

• Average price of every piece sold was more than twice of US or Europe as size and quality of diamonds is greater.

• 1990 help the jewelry industry to develop

• Diamond acquisition threshold in China was a house hold income of 250 USD per month.

• Expanding group of newly wealthy people, openness to change

• About status within your peer group. Even people on low monthly salaries would buy a high quality diamond: it was a family driven purchase.

• American market is booming.

• If you are modern women you feel confident and successful if you are a traditional you feel valued and proud.

• For women, jewelry was an expression of self-enhancement, a symbol of femininity.

• Demonstrating the status of the wearer and the family.

• Women buying diamonds for themselves, for the joy of wearing them invested in jewelry in case of emergency.

• Final contribution of de beers to the diamond pipeline is the promotion of diamond jewelry for the industry; through advertising campaigns developed from extensive market research; trade promotional activities and jewelry design competitions

• Slogan “A diamond is forever” echoes durability and appeals to the emotional attachment of the owner to the stone.

• We have to make them want to wear their rings more by encouraging jewelers to create more practical designs which won’t frighten off the traditionalist.

Weaknesses:

• Valuing a diamond is a highly skilled task thus not traded on world frequently. (Valued on the basis of four criteria- 4C s carat clarity color and cut)

• Diamonds were not bought as a store of value, they could not be traded in the same way that gold jewelry routinely was.

• The impracticality of the most popular designs.

• Rejection the idea of a diamond symbolizing love: any object could do that.

• Asia was not a homogenous region, regional campaigns would not work. Many local nuances take into account for individual country advertising. In Korea, important market for diamonds, all sales except for the wedding jewelry segment dried up. Sales in Thailand and Indonesia completely disappeared. In Japan, they only wear diamonds on a few occasions and it is hard for them to justify spending 5.000 USD for rare use.

• Market reforms introducing alternative ways of spending money like people starting to buy their own homes. Consumer products such as air conditioners competed for their share of discretionary spending against luxury goods like diamonds. Women in Asia have closed their purses to this type of spending.

• “Gift of love” message does not mean the same thing to everyone. In Japan “symbol of love” message had always projected.

Opportunities:

• China more materialistic than elsewhere in the region. Generation used wealth as the key criterion for judging success.

• Marriage was a partnership towards achieving future success. Motivations in China were driven more by status than emotions.

• Elite population segment in Beijing, Shanghal and Guangzhou- the top %5, with monthly household income of 20,000 RMB indicating %88 ownership among women. (higher than US) Acquisition rate per year in the target group %12, many were multiple owners. (avg: 1,56) Attitudes to diamonds were very positive compared with other gemstones.

• 35-54 age range was the core target group among married women. This group bought more expensive pieces than younger ones, and the population ageing rapidly.

• Once a woman owns a diamond the barriers for future purchase is lowered. Showing prices in the shop windows.

• The size of the stone was very important as a status symbol.

• %60 of all sales of diamonds in Asian countries are diamonds for self purchase.

• As a reward for a particular achievement

• In 1998 Japan was still