Did You Know: We Propose With Diamonds Because Of A Marketing Campaign?

Did you know the average engagement ring costs around $6,000? But before the 1930s, diamond engagement rings weren't even a thing. That is, until De Beers hired NW Ironson to create a marketing campaign to increase diamond sales that changed the way that we think about diamonds forever. IER took on the challenge and launched a campaign to strengthen the association of diamonds with love and romance. They circulated portraits of socialite couples with diamond engagement rings to magazines and newspapers, and things really kicked into high gear after World War II when GIs returned from war to marry their sweethearts. Ire produce ads with an educational tip called how to Buy a Diamond and sent lecturers to high schools to convince teenage girls to expect a diamond ring during a proposal. Pretty crazy. I continued to strengthen how people see diamonds by coining the iconic slogan A diamond is Forever. The sales grew and diamonds are now highly associated with proposals, thanks to one of the best marketing campaigns in history.