HK jeweller puts cash on diamond TV spots

<p>HONG KONG: Jewellery retailer Just Gold is putting its dollars on </p><p>its diamond brand, with the launch of its first television campaign in </p><p>two years. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Just Diamond campaign moves away from the platform that "diamonds </p><p>create envy" to one which plays on the idea that wearing the gem is one </p><p>of the privileges in life for a woman. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Leo Burnett Hong Kong, which took the US$2.5 million account off </p><p>Bates at mid-year, created the television and retail-only campaign, </p><p>which aired early October. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The platform is still based on the confidence of woman today," said </p><p>Donald Chan, director of brand management at Burnett. "But we believe </p><p>the definition of confidence in a woman has evolved. It has moved from </p><p>the conventional one of doing a good job, living independently and </p><p>taking a leadership role to one where a woman is confident enough to </p><p>enjoy the natural privileges of being a woman, such as wearing </p><p>jewellery." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Three spots have been created: one shows a couple engaged in foreplay, </p><p>with the woman moving on top to better look at herself in the mirror </p><p>opposite. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The caption says: "Some things are unexplainable. Looking at yourself in </p><p>the mirror is a woman's privilege". In the second spot, a woman is about </p><p>to give birth but refuses to leave for the hospital until she has put on </p><p>make-up and diamond earings. The tagline ends with: "Making yourself </p><p>beautiful is a woman's privilege." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Despite the hit on luxury good purchases in the worsening slump, Janet </p><p>Shuen, Just Gold Company's chief marketing officer, said the retailer </p><p>went ahead with the campaign because it saw an opportunity to build </p><p>brand awareness when its competitors were discounting heavily. "The </p><p>whole retail sector is discounting, even on new arrivals. We felt it </p><p>would have been too damaging to the brand if all we did was to also </p><p>discount on prices," Shuen said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Shuen said development of the seven-year-old diamond brand, which has </p><p>two independent shops compared with 14 for the Just Gold label had been </p><p>hindered by the previous economic slump in the late 90s. "With our </p><p>limited budget, it was a choice of promoting our gold or diamond brand. </p><p>We felt Just Diamond would benefit more from the brand campaign because </p><p>diamonds are still in a very early product cycle in Hong Kong. The </p><p>growth potential is stronger." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>