DeBeers: A Diamond Is Forever

The Magazine Era: Selling Dreams in Glossy Pages

In the mid-20th century, magazines were more than reading material; they were windows into aspirational worlds. Flip through a copy of Life or Harper’s Bazaar from that era and you’ll find full page ads overflowing with fantasy featuring flawless models, ideal lifestyles and products that promised everything from luxury to love. 

During that time, print was more than just ink on paper; it served as a cultural guidebook. Magazine ads didn’t merely suggest, they made bold proclamations. Headlines were grand, fonts were elegant and visuals were crafted to captivate. When it came to luxury items such as perfume, furs, watches and jewelry the emphasis was always on aspiration. Status was important, and so was brilliance.

However, amidst all that glamour, one category was beginning to lose its shine ‘diamonds’. Diamonds were no longer considered essential after the Great Depression and World War II. They were expensive, inconvenient, and often out of reach for many. This is when De Beers entered the scene and changed the story forever.

What De Beers Did Differently

In 1947, De Beers took a fresh approach to grow the diamond market in the United States. They recruited the New York advertising agency N.W. Ayer & Son to help them out. Instead of merely shouting louder than their competitors; they chose a more smarter approach. They aimed to sell an idea rather than just a product. While other advertisements emphasized the physical beauty of diamonds. De Beers tapped into deeper emotional connections and symbolism. Their goal was not just to make people want diamonds they aimed to make them believe in the value of diamonds. 

The pivotal moment came when copywriter Frances Gerety, working late one night jotted down the phrase “A Diamond is Forever”.

However, it wasn’t glamorous and not originally meant to be a headline. Its inclusion in De Beers magazine ads fundamentally changed the perceptions of love and marketing.

Turning Carbon into Commitment

De Beers, wasn’t about the quality or rarity of diamonds ironically, diamonds are not that rare. Their USP was this: A diamond isn’t just a gift; it’s a symbol of forever.

 This concept was different and it positioned diamonds not as luxury items, but as essential components of the journey of love. The advertisements didn’t focus on price or size; instead, they conveyed messages about eternity, trust, and emotion. They achieved this through magazine spreads that were elegant and subtly persuasive. Phrases like, “How else could two months salary last forever?” weren’t just catchy; they redefined social norms. 

Suddenly, the amount spent on a ring was seen as a reflection of how much one loved someone. De Beers didn’t just create demand,  they created emotional value.

Changing the Market and the Culture

In 1930s, only 1 out of 10 engagement rings in America featured diamonds. By the 1980s, that number had increased to over 8 out 0f 10. The shift was caused by a change in the story rather than a change in the product.

Through consistent advertising in magazines, De Beers ingrained diamonds into the very essence of love. Marriage proposals without diamonds became almost unthinkable. The question transformed from simply “Will you marry me?” to “Where’s the ring?”

De Beers also engineered market control behind the scenes. As Edward Epstein detailed in The Rise and Fall of Diamonds (1982), the company maintained a sense of diamond scarcity by controlling global supply. However, that alone was not sufficient. The true genius lay in making diamonds symbolically irreplaceable. A diamond wasn’t merely an investment; it was a promise.

Even reselling diamonds was discouraged. The slogan “A Diamond is Forever” implied not just that your love would last, but also that the ring should remain with you forever. There should be no resale, no trade-in,  and no upgrades—just permanence.

Legacy: The Slogan That Still Shines

In 1999, Advertising Age named “A Diamond is Forever” the greatest advertising slogan of the 20th century and for good reason. It accomplished what every brand dreams of achieving:

It transformed the product into a symbol.

It redefined a cultural ritual.

Today, our views on relationships, proposals, and even self-worth are still influenced by that line. Although there is a growing interest in ethical alternatives, the emotional narrative crafted by De Beers has not faded.

So, the next time you come across a tiny velvet box, remember—it wasn’t always this way. That expectation, that sparkle, that sense of forever? It all began with a magazine ad and four unforgettable words.