Long associated with engagement and wedding rings, diamonds may be a girl's best friend. But De Beers, the brand name most closely associated with the coveted stone, aims to make diamonds a retailer's best friend too, with its new iPhone/iPad app.
The De Beers Bridal App allows consumers to review a complete collection of wedding day jewelry, choose an engagement ring and matching wedding band, view videos to get expert information on how to choose diamonds, and go behind the scenes of De Beers' diamond selection, design, and craftsmanship. Leveraging the power of social media, the app encourages the consumer to select their favorites and share them with friends. The consumer can also sign up to receive emails from De Beers.
In a nice touch that will keep retailers happy, the app also offers up the retail locations closest to the user who sell De Beers jewelry and enables the consumer to make an appointment as well as locate the retailer on a map. While the consumer can "arrange a viewing" on the De Beers website, store locations are limited to a few major retailers in key cities.
De Beers CEO Francois Delage told Luxury Daily, "The app is designed to help people with an exciting and what sometimes could appear as a daunting purchase, and we felt that an interactive and informative mobile app was the best way to do this. We understand both men and women may want to research engagement rings and wedding bands before they walk into a store and we feel the app really complements our in-store experience and encourages people to discover both our products and our expertise in the comfort of their own home."
The app was obviously a conscious decision on the part of De Beers to support the sale of diamonds in a face-to-face setting rather than through e-commerce. "We believe that solitaire diamonds should be chosen in person, because the experience is very emotional and personal," said Delage. "We have experienced brand ambassadors in every store who are waiting to help the customer find their perfect engagement ring. ... The app also allows us to show our beautiful engagement and wedding rings in an interactive and fun way, so we reach a new audience and encourage them to come in store."
According to Luxury Daily, De Beers is not the first luxury marketer of jewelry to develop such an app; Cartier and Tiffany have similar apps, for example. The De Beers app, however, is enriched with more educational and background information about diamonds and the company behind them, as shown in the video below.
De Beers, known for its classic slogan, "A Diamond is Forever," hopes to keep it that way with an app clearly designed to get consumers to make a long-term investment in its jewelry. Because when you're in the engagement business, you'd better be an engaging brand.
| Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us | FAQ