A diamond is a rock with a great marketing plan

In today's world, marketing and advertising is all around us.  It has always been a staple of newspapers, radio, television and billboards.  It has made its way onto websites, social media and even packaging.  (Who doesn't know what box has the smile on it.)

Marketing with lasting power can even become conventional wisdom.  For example, most apple production before Prohibition went into hard cider.  During Prohibition, the Washington state apple producers came up with the famous slogan, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away." 

So what about diamonds?  Firstly, they are rocks.  Granted rare and interesting rocks, but still a pure form of carbon that by the way can be reproduced in laboratory conditions.  They have a number of uses, in cutting, conductivity and light usages.

While rare, they are not any more rare than other gemstones.  They come in a number of colors, white or clear being the most sought after.  The most expensive ones are almost always for ornamental purposes, having been cut to take advantage of light refraction and shape and size.

Since the 1950's diamonds have been the default way of cementing a nuptial agreement.  It is interesting to note that the 1950's was also a decade of younger marriage trends for the first time this century.

Marketing of the stones has consisted of a sense of exclusivity, wealth, permanence.  It didn't hurt when Marilyn Monroe sang about diamonds being a girls best friend.  As marketing became more sophisticated, education became a way to enhance exclusivity with in-store materials on the diamonds characteristic.

One piece of brilliance was the suggestion that one pay two months salary for a stone.  That expanded the possibility of larger sales, finance costs and higher volume.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago, when the introduction of brown diamonds into jewelry stores.  Prior to the introduction of the marketing of said stones, the brown diamond was considered a more common stone, the offshoot of mining production.  Most were funneled immediately to industrial applications.

But now, since almost no one had a colored stone in their jewelry box, a new wave of presents, purchases and additions could be unleashed.  Marketing for the holiday is in high gear with the brown diamond renamed after a cocoa derivative to give it provenance and luster.

And so, another option of what to get someone for the holidays has conveniently and brilliantly entered the market.