A Diamond is Forever or is It?

When it comes to the marketing and advertising of goods and services, very few countries hold a candle to the United States. As one of the richest countries in the world, the United States thrives off of its catchy slogans and mind-numbing jingles. As a child I couldn’t go more than two feet without hearing the Oscar Meyer Weiner song or the catchy jingle sung by the Double Mint Twins that sparked a fresh revolution towards mint flavored gum. But no matter what the product, time has proven that the better the advertisements, the more Americans are compelled to become active participants in the supply and demand cycle. In an essay entitled Masters of Desire: The Culture of American Advertising, Jack Solomon states that all Americans buy into the advertising game because for them these products have a deeper symbolic meaning. These products ultimately represent what it truly means to be American” (161-170). In other words whether it be brand new Ford Expedition trucks or Oscar Meyers’ hot dogs, American consumers are going to indulge because with every purchase they come closer to having a piece of the American pie.

One commodity that is buried deep within the American framework is the diamond and its entire industry. Marketed as rare and priceless jewels, the diamond has become one of the most sought after commodities in American culture. Diamonds are advertised everywhere; on buses, billboards, buildings, commercials, actresses, music videos, and movies. In fact it is not uncommon to see one commercial stating that “a diamond is forever”, following another commercial that states “…only a Tiffany’s ring could look so elegant on her hand.” Advertisers for diamonds have had great success with marketing these so called “precious” jewels because they have relied on sentiment and emotion to win over the hearts of American consumers.

So what does this say about the American consumer? What drives us to spend billions of dollars a year on products that we really don’t need? Are we that gullible that we fail to realize that these so called “rare” and “priceless” commodities are nothing more than schemes to manipulate the American consumer into a false sense of security? This paper seeks to address and analyze: the sentiment behind the American consumer’s desire for diamonds, and the effect the diamond industry has on other countries outside of the “gilded” American cage and the marketing strategy used by the DeBeers family to capture the hearts of American consumers and consumers all over the world.