“A Diamond is Forever”, but was it always? In 1948, a young copywriter for the N.W. Ayer advertising agency named Frances Gerety scribbled down this iconic, award-winning phrase we attribute to the 20th century. The brief 
itself for De Beers, a leader in the diamond trade industry, was to encompass and express the physical and legendary attributes of a diamond engagement ring. The campaign was so successful that even today three-quarters of American brides wear a diamond ring costing on average 4,000 dollars. WOW!
But how did this campaign create a cultural norm? The folks at Ayer had their objective, to persuade young men that diamonds and only diamonds could be synonymous with romance. That the measure of their love was tied directly with the size of the diamond and its quality. Young women, in turn, needed convincing that their time dating would end in a diamond.
By weaving this message into popular culture, “A Diamond is Forever” spread like wildfire and was so widely accepted that it became a symbol of romance. A highly successful advertising campaign connects with consumers on a personal/emotional level and stands the test of time, sometimes becoming iconic like “A Diamond is Forever”.
