SourcingMay 24, 2024
Signet, De Beers Have a Plan to Promote Natural DiamondsSourcingJun 04, 2024
For New Campaign, Natural Diamond Council Looks to the North
Shot in Canada’s Northwest Territories in winter, the campaign features actress and NDC ambassador Lily James and the Northern Lights.
The Natural Diamond Council’s new “Real. Rare. Responsible” campaign starring actress and NDC ambassador Lily James (“Cinderella,” “Downton Abbey”) was shot in Canada’s Northwest Territories, where the Northern Lights are visible more than half the year. (Photo courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council)
Las Vegas—Later this year, the Natural Diamond Council will launch a campaign starring Lily James and shot in Canada’s Northwest Territories in the dead of winter.
The new “Real. Rare. Responsible” campaign, which is designed to highlight the positive impact diamonds have in the communities where they are mined, features the “Pam & Tommy” actress against a snowy backdrop.
It serves as a stark contrast to the last “Real. Rare. Responsible” campaign, which was shot in Botswana, and follows James as she visits De Beers Canada’s Gahcho Kué mine, Rio Tinto’s Yellowknife splitting facility, and Diamonds de Canada, the sole producer of the Polar Bear Diamond.
Set to launch in late summer, the campaign includes videos and still imagery retailers can utilize for social media, print, and billboards. There is also a script for a radio spot.
For its part, the NDC will focus on placing the ads on digital platforms.
The new “Real. Rare. Responsible” campaign, which is designed to highlight the positive impact diamonds have in the communities where they are mined, features the “Pam & Tommy” actress against a snowy backdrop.
It serves as a stark contrast to the last “Real. Rare. Responsible” campaign, which was shot in Botswana, and follows James as she visits De Beers Canada’s Gahcho Kué mine, Rio Tinto’s Yellowknife splitting facility, and Diamonds de Canada, the sole producer of the Polar Bear Diamond.
Set to launch in late summer, the campaign includes videos and still imagery retailers can utilize for social media, print, and billboards. There is also a script for a radio spot.
For its part, the NDC will focus on placing the ads on digital platforms.
A fox roams the snowy landscape in Yellowknife, Canada. Yellowknife is the capital, and only city, in the Northwest Territories. It is about 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle. (Photo courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council)
The Northern Lights, which are visible up to 240 days a year in the Northwest Territories, feature prominently in the campaign. (Photo courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council)
A pair of Caribou traverse the ice roads in the Northwest Territories. (Photo courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council)
A 33-carat brilliant-cut natural diamond (left) is pictured alongside a rough diamond. (Photo courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council)
“We’re generally speaking to a younger, Gen Z-millennial audience,” NDC CEO David Kellie said in an interview Friday when asked about NDC’s decision to do digital advertising only.
“They are consuming on their phones, [on platforms] like TikTok. We’ve done a huge amount of work with influencers on TikTok. It’s not a conventional campaign; it’s literally influencers spreading the diamond facts. That’s where we’re influencing people.
“Whilst the industry looks back with great fondness on the De Beers campaigns—the shadows, the three-stone engagement ring, those things—the reality is, you don’t get the reach to the right audience with TV and with print. We still love [print] because people still love to pick up something ... tactile. We still do a print magazine even though most of our representation is digital.”
Originally called the Diamond Producers Association and rebranded as NDC in 2020, the organization is funded by a combination of members who serve on its board of directors and partners, which include a number of large diamond manufacturers as well as India’s Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council.
Kellie said NDC lost about half its funding when Alrosa suspended its membership and halted all financial contributions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It now faces another potential hurdle—Anglo American’s demerger or divestment of De Beers Group.
De Beers currently accounts for 80 percent of NDC’s member funding, Kellie said.
Despite the uncertainty, he said the organization remains focused on the task at hand—rolling out this new campaign promoting natural diamonds ahead of the holiday season.
It also is seeking to sign on more members and partners to diversify its funding sources, something that has been a goal for a number of years.
“Even before Alrosa’s resignation [in 2022], it was always our belief that all parts of the industry should be participating in what we do, which is to drive consumer demand,” Kellie said.
The organization just signed on the Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), which conducts rough diamond sales on behalf of the Botswana government, as its first non-mining member.
ODC also partnered with the NDC on the “Natural Diamond Club” lounge in Las Vegas this year.
Kellie said NDC believes more diamond-producing countries should be NDC members, a goal it is working toward.
He said when it comes to promoting natural diamonds, the industry needs to be united behind one message.
“If we all do it together, it’ll be much bigger, much more impactful. And this industry rises or falls together, as we’ve seen in the last two or three years,” he said.
“Whilst people compete, and competition is a good thing, we all either do well together or we don’t. It’s a shared responsibility.”
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Weekly QuizOct 03, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsJan 12, 2026
Introducing My Next Question, the PodcastA monthly podcast series for jewelry professionals
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
PodcastsNov 27, 2025
Test Podcast With VideoTest Podcast With Video. New interview with Ada Lovelace.
PodcastsNov 25, 2025
Test New Podcast PostAbstract for tests. New Podcast interview with John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morison.
ColumnistsOct 09, 2024
Peter Smith: 7 Things to Know When Selling LuxuryAhead of the holiday season, Smith delves into the often subconscious reasons people buy luxury products for themselves or their loved ones.
AuctionsOct 09, 2024
Rolex Worn on Apollo 14 Mission Up for SaleThe GMT-Master “Pepsi” belonging to astronaut Edgar Mitchell is a standout in RR Auction’s online “Space Auction,” going on now.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
New Simon Campaign Invites Gen Z to ‘Meet Me At The Mall’The ads celebrate the mall culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
PGI Launches New Virtual Sales TrainingRetail sales associates can access the video series on mobile to refresh their selling skills.
Policies & IssuesOct 09, 2024
GJNRF: Reaching Out, Rebuilding Futures For 25 years, India’s Gem & Jewellery National Relief Foundation has provided aid in the wake of war, natural disasters, and global crises.
AuctionsOct 08, 2024
Sotheby’s Selling Jewelry That Belonged to a Bulgarian TsarThe November auction will feature a collection of jewels owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family.
SurveysOct 08, 2024
What to Know About Online Shopping This Holiday SeasonDeloitte and Adobe Analytics shared their insights on the season, from the retail sales forecast to the role of generative AI.
CollectionsOct 08, 2024
Sylvie Adds New Men’s BandsThe Texas-based jeweler collaborated with luxury clothing brand Uncommon Man on men’s bands designed with European influences.
SourcingOct 07, 2024
Rio Tinto to Offer 76 Diamonds in 2024 Beyond Rare Tender The sales event, in its second year, features a selection of rare diamonds from the miner’s Argyle and Diavik diamond mines.
CollectionsOct 07, 2024
Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi Partners With Heller Jewelers on New CollectionA portion of the proceeds from the “Always Dream” collection will go to Yamaguchi's foundation, supporting early childhood literacy.
SurveysOct 07, 2024
Hill & Co.’s New ‘Business of Jewelry Report’ Is OutThe first in what is slated to be a series of in-depth reports from the consulting company, it focuses on shortening supply chains.
WatchesOct 04, 2024
Watches of Switzerland Clocks Another Acquisition—HodinkeeThe company said Benjamin Clymer will return to his role as head of the watch news website, which will maintain editorial independence.
