DTC Unveils New Promotional Drive for India

Moving beyond the product and season specific campaigns that have characterized its previous Indian promotional initiatives, the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) recently unveiled its latest drive in the local market – Gift-a- Diamond.

The campaign is aimed at promoting diamonds as the most appropriate and widely accepted form of gifts, going beyond such occasions as weddings and major festivals, which have traditionally been associated with diamond gifting. Significantly, for the first time, the campaign will also have advertising that appeals directly to men.

Twenty-seven Indian Sightholders are participating in the program, which was unveiled at a series of presentations cum buyer-seller meets held at 10 cities across the country.

Speaking at the Mumbai launch, Paresh Das, sales and marketing manager, DTC (DPS), described the campaign as a “mega program to drive diamond sales the year round.” It will be launched at the beginning of the Indian festival season, which begins in mid-September. During his presentation at the event, Deepak Bhatia, manager, Western India, DTC (DPS) said that the aim is to make people aware that “every day is a gifting day.” The specific segments targeted include ‘husband to wife’ and ‘parents to daughter.’ Moreover, the promotion is generic in nature and spans all segments of the diamond market including loose polished, branded, and non-branded diamond jewelry.

Under the scheme, participating retailers can join with participating Sightholders to stock diamonds and diamond jewelry. The retailer will be given special glow signs that can be displayed at the entrance to the shop  to certify that the shop is a ‘Gift-a-Diamond Planet’, and related point of sale materials to create an atmosphere within the store as well. The store level support will be in association with the Sightholder whose products are being stocked.

The in-store publicity will be aided by a massive external promotional campaign in print and electronic media, with an ad spend of almost Rs 1 billion ($21.46 million) in a concentrated period of 100 days soon after its launch during the peak festival season starting with Navratra in late September to Christmas and New Year. This includes over 600 TV spots in national and regional channels and press ads in 13 major cities. The promotions will continue to run on a smaller scale year round.

A unique feature of the promotion will be the packaging – each piece of jewelry comes in a special musical box that plays the signature tune of the Gift-a-Diamond campaign when opened.

DTC officials estimate that the program could drive incremental sales to the tune of Rs 2.3 billion ($49.37 million). India has already emerged as the fastest growing market and the third largest consumer of diamond jewelry in the world, with DTC officials estimating that sales touched Rs 78 billion ($1,674 million) during 2005, up from Rs 20 billion ($429.26 million) in 2000.