This case shows the different marketing strategies employed by De Beers while entering the Chinese Market

1. Group 4
Presents

2. De Beers : The Story
❖ Founded in 1888 by Cecil Rhodes
❖ Largest diamond mining organization in the world
❖ Specialises in Diamond exploration, mining, retail, trading and industrial
diamond sectors
❖ The slogan “A Diamond is forever” coined in 1947

3. 4Cs of Diamonds
Carat Weight
Colour Grade
Cut Grade
Clarity Grade

4. The Diamond Pipeline
Prospecting
Mining &
Recovery
Sorting,
Valuation &
Sights
Cutting &
Polishing
Polished
Market
Jewellery
Manufacture
Retail Consumers
Consumer Research, Advertising,
Promotion and Publicity
CMDDe Beers Mining CSO

5. De Beers : Western World
Segmentation
• Adults with disposable income
• Professionals with independent means
• Wide range of psychographics and behavioural characteristics
Targeting
• Middle Class/Mass Market
• Affluent Market
Positioning
• “Gift of Love” for engagement, coming of age, anniversaries

6. De Beers : Asia
Segmentation
• Self buyers, non-occasional
• Wedding jewellery buyers
• Status aspirants
Targeting
• Bride-to-be
• Modern women
• Traditional women
Positioning
• “Gift of Love”
• “Women’s desire”

7. De Beers : China
Segmentation
• Married women 25-44 years age
• Wedding jewellery buyers
• Status aspirants both men and women
Targeting
• Bride-to-be
• Married women
Positioning
• “The symbol of our enduring commitment, to build a future of
harmony, brightness, success and happiness” – Mei man
• “Xing Fu Woman”

8. Issues
❖ In Japan, diamond was on the brink of being isolated into the niche
“dress” sector. How to get around that?
❖ Whether to develop the existing markets like Shanghai or work on
regional cities like Qingdao?
❖ Would De Beers be able to create the same unique positioning in China
that it had done in the West which would differentiate it from the rest of
the luxury goods market?
❖ Untapped market segments to be addressed

9. Revive “Symbol of Love” for Japan
Couple wedding rings
Engagement rings
Engraved rings

10. Work on existing markets
❖ Developing a market in a new location comes with a huge cost that can
be avoided
❖ Keeping the outlets rare would reinforce the special and unique status
of De Beers Diamonds
❖ The income level is generally lower in the regional cities in China as
compared to prime cities

11. Differentiating Diamonds
❖Stature and reputation should be targeted both among men and women
❖ Bigger sized diamonds, with higher price, can be a differentiator
❖ New jewellery and accessory designs could be beneficial

12. Untapped Market Segments
The Self-buyer Woman
Wrist watch
Cuff-link
Tie clip

13. Thank You!