Blood Diamond PR Ups Ante, Goes to Oprah

As the December 8 opening date is nearing, the public relations efforts of the Blood Diamond are increasing.  Next week lead actors Leonardo Di Caprio and Djimon Hounsou, together with producer- director Ed Zwick, will appear on the popular show Oprah.

The three were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey earlier this week, and the segment will air either Friday or next Monday, the LA Times reports.

Movie makers and NGOs started to sell a red Blood Diamond rubber bracelet.  The $2 item was also handed out to attendants of an Amnesty International event held in Los Angeles that focused on conflict diamonds.

Recent PR efforts include another website promoting the movie, Blood Diamond Action, which includes stills from the movie as well as information about conflict diamonds by NGOs and the option to purchase the bracelet.  It seems that the site was created by the movie makers together with NGOs Global Witness and Amnesty International.

The LA Times report said that music recorded by rapper Nas for the movie may be on the Blood Diamond Action site some time next week.

The newspaper’s website also reported that a two-hour documentary about the trade in illicit diamonds and the civil war in Sierra Leone is scheduled to air on The History Channel in U.S. December 23.