The Diamond Promotion Service called it a “missed opportunity” and it aims to make things right as it announced a new three-stone ring marketing and advertising campaign that will target anniversary purchases.

Diane Warga-Arias of DPS, during a seminar Sunday morning at the JCK Show ~ Phoenix, discussed why the organization decided to target this particular “occasional-driven” consumer with the three-stone ring, outlined the campaign, and detailed ways jewelers can participate.

Arias said that a campaign for the anniversary three-stone ring was originally launched in 2000 as part of the overall three-stone ring campaign. However, while the three-stone ring became extremely popular the anniversary portion of the campaign fell by the wayside. Arias cited statistics that more than 60% of married women never received diamond jewelry as an anniversary gift. And among those who purchase diamond rings as an anniversary gift, the average sale is $1,176.

“There are 52 million married couples in the U.S. and two-thirds have never received diamond jewelry as an anniversary gift,” Arias said.

To right this, Arias said DPS and the Diamond Trading Company are planning a marketing and advertising campaign designed to attract male buyers into purchasing anniversary rings for their loved ones. The campaign will amount to 25% of the DTC’s advertising budget for 2004. The campaign will focus on rings that cost more than $1,000.

“Past, present, future is a perfect tie-in for the anniversary ring,” she said.

She also called on those in the jewelry industry, primarily retailers, to do their part by focusing on internal programs in what she called the “integration of marketing with operations.” The operational systems that need to be in place are: Forecasting/sales training, inventory management, visual merchandising, the setting of sales goals and objects, sales training, client development and management intervention.

The retailer needs to determine how to do this, she said, adding that it is imperative that these elements are in place as soon as possible before the campaign begins within the next couple of months.

She urged jewelers to present an “anniversary story” for their customers. This means reinforcing the anniversary message in the store’s signage and marketing efforts, and stressing that the anniversary occasion provides an opportunity to sell high-priced diamond jewelry throughout the year.

“It’s important to reinforce the anniversary measure to reaffirm the importance of diamond jewelry as an essential year-round selling opportunity,” she said.

JCK