Fresh, authentic campaign connects the journeys of ‘Zillennial’ couples, who are leading the engagement recovery, with the incredible journey that natural diamonds take as the ultimate symbols of modern love

AKRON, Ohio, and LONDON, October 15, 2024 -- De Beers Group, the world's leading diamond company, and Signet Jewelers, the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, whose iconic retail brands include KAY Jewelers, Zales and Jared, this week launched Worth the Wait, a new natural diamond campaign focused on the themes of modern love and evolving relationship dynamics, targeted at soon-to-be-engaged Zillennials.

Worth the Wait is the first major activation of the recently announced collaboration between Signet and De Beers to re-introduce the unique attributes of natural diamonds to a new generation of U.S. couples. It comes after months of intensive training for Signet’s 20,000 sales associates to equip them with the deep knowledge to communicate the unique features of natural diamonds to their customers.

Grounded in Signet’s data-driven consumer insights, trusted brands and digital capabilities, while also drawing on De Beers Group’s history of emotional natural diamond storytelling, the campaign highlights the priorities of modern couples and the trajectories their relationships often take. Today’s couples prioritize the importance of personal growth and investment in themselves before they feel ready to build strong, enduring connections with a significant other. They believe in working to love yourself before you can truly love another.

Using emotional and authentic storytelling featuring diverse real-world couples, the campaign illustrates the pressures and joys of love as couples grow both as individuals and in their relationships. This journey mirrors the strength and resilience of natural diamonds as they travel from deep in the Earth and are transformed into polished gems to reveal their true beauty.

With Signet’s proprietary data showing an expected uptick in engagements over the coming years following a post-pandemic lull, the insights that informed the campaign also reflect the key milestones that Signet tracks as a couple progresses along relationship milestones, such as moving in together, merging finances or even breaking up and then getting back together.

KAY’s recently launched Milestones Natural Diamond Collection is one of the beacon lines representing the underlying ethos of the Worth the Wait campaign. The collection of rings, pendants and earrings features timeless designs that symbolize the moments and milestones that strengthen love through every step of a relationship story.

Additionally, Jared’s flagship Bridal brand, Chosen, allows customers to choose from a range of high-quality natural diamonds, center stone shapes and personalized settings. There are endless combinations a customer can build to create their one-of-a-kind ring, befitting of a once-in-a-lifetime love.

Later this month, Jared is also launching UNSPOKEN, a collection of natural diamond pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets set in high polish yellow gold as well as white gold with diamonds. Each piece shares the depth of love in your heart without saying a word, representing the power of natural diamonds. 

“Across Signet’s banners, we are working to educate customers on their choices and provide transparency as an industry leader in responsible sourcing efforts,” said Signet Jewelers Group President and Chief Consumer Officer Jamie Singleton. “Every natural diamond was formed in a different part of the earth, under different conditions, following its own special path to emerge as a tangible piece of timeless beauty. The Worth the Wait campaign tells the intertwined story between that journey and the rare and unique path each couple’s individual love story takes. It’s a celebration of the hard work and struggles, along with the magic and joy, that contribute to a couple’s lasting, meaningful commitment.”

Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands, said: “We're excited to launch this campaign as part of our refreshed approach to natural diamond category marketing to connect a new generation of consumers to the wonder of natural diamonds. While the campaign draws on our track record of iconic natural diamond advertising, it brings an entirely fresh approach grounded in deep insights about the relationships of today’s diverse couples. The premise of the campaign is to celebrate the individual, challenging and rewarding journeys that couples go on before making the momentous decision to get engaged, which is perfectly mirrored by the journey of a natural diamond formed deep within the Earth’s surface. True love, like a true diamond, is forged by fire. Just like each couple’s unique journey to find ‘the one’, a natural diamond is worth the wait.”

The campaign, which features a 90-second long-form feature as well as two 30-second and two 15-second spots, will run nationally across integrated consumer touchpoints including social media, online platforms and across Signet’s Jared, KAY and Zales banners via online video, social media and storefronts.