50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 507 Find a new way
If De Beers wants to target consumers across all income levels, the best approach is to associate diamonds with something that evokes emotional resonance.

NW Ayer's answer was: true love and marriage.

In their proposal, they wrote: "We want to create a scenario that makes people feel that they must buy an engagement ring when proposing."

Subsequently, a comprehensive marketing campaign lasting four years began.

They write stories of celebrities proposing with diamond rings in various media outlets, detailing the type, size, and value of the diamonds.

The focus is on how diamonds bring a sense of happiness and make both partners feel deeply loved. A helpful tip on "How to Buy Diamonds" is also included.

Four years of marketing have increased diamond sales in the US by 55%. The only thing missing is a simple and concise statement to solidify the absolute relationship between marriage and diamonds.

One night in 1943, Francis Garrett, an advertising executive at NW Ayer, suddenly remembered that he had an advertising plan meeting early the next morning just before going to bed.

So, she casually wrote a sentence on a piece of scrap paper by her bed that seemed alright: “Diamond is forever.”

At the meeting the following day, she brought up this sentence as part of her design. However, at the time, it did not receive much attention and was simply used as one of various options.

No one expected that such a seemingly harmless remark would successfully touch the hearts of young men and women.

Francis Garrett even centered his advertising copy for De Beers around this phrase for 25 years.

In the days that followed, this slogan spread widely in 29 countries and 21 languages ​​around the world.

For many years afterward, it continued to influence men and women around the world who were about to get married.

Dear readers, do you all understand now? We've all been tricked by capital. Is there anyone who didn't buy a diamond ring when they got married?

Therefore, Sun Zhiwei knew that capital had won, and had won for decades. Could he just watch that huge sum of money be made by one company, capital?
No.

He also wanted a piece of the pie.

However, diamond mining, processing, and sales have now become a mature industry, and capital has deeply penetrated into it.

If Sun Zhiwei wants to get involved, he has to find another way. First, he needs a diamond mine.

It's difficult to get into the four major diamond-producing regions, so he can only start from smaller places.

At that moment, he thought of a place: Borneo.

The iron ore mine manager, Huang Hongxuan, mentioned that there was a small diamond mine near his iron ore mine.

To avoid trouble, and also because the small diamond mine had mediocre output and quality, he hadn't paid much attention to it before.

Now, he's ready to take over this small diamond mine.

It wasn't for the small, seemingly ordinary diamonds in the mine, but rather to use them as a foundation to enter the diamond industry.

Because the value of a diamond lies not only in the rough stone, but also in the last of the 4Cs: the cut.

The best diamond cutting technology in the world is currently found in Antwerp, Belgium.

Antwerp is known as the "Diamond Capital of the World," and its diamond cuts are synonymous with perfect cuts in the industry.

Other notable diamond cutting centers include Tel Aviv, Mumbai, and New York. Having diamond mines allowed him to legitimately establish diamond processing centers, ensuring the provenance of any top-quality diamonds he might later acquire.

As for where the top-quality diamonds come from? That's simple. There are so many diamond mines in the world, why don't they just go and get them themselves?
At the end of December, after hosting the Christmas event for Magnificent Jewelry in New York, Sun Zhiwei prepared to head to Borneo.

Because the last time he traveled through the M Army's family route went smoothly, he planned to do the same again this time.

He first took a tourist flight from Washington to Saipan, then boarded a military aircraft at the Saipan military base to fly to Clark Air Base on Luzon Island, and then transferred at Clark Air Base to fly to Barabak Air Base in Borneo.

Although he transferred multiple times along the way, the actual time spent was much faster than when he took a commercial flight and transited through Singapore or New York.

After arriving at Barabak base, he still approached Air Force Major Grand Page to rent a Black Hawk helicopter.

Major Page was particularly impressed with this wealthy man from Washington, paying promptly and never haggling.

Therefore, he also wanted to make more connections. He didn't plan to serve in the military for the rest of his life; he knew he would be able to use these wealthy connections after he retired.

So when Sun Zhiwei came to rent a plane again, he readily approved it.

This time, Sun Zhiwei still piloted the Black Hawk himself, but instead of going to the mining area, he drove the Black Hawk directly to the Huang family's manor.

When it comes to issues related to the mining area, Huang Hongxuan is often too young to understand the connections and relationships behind it, while Huang Huizhong is better able to sort things out.

When the Black Hawk flew through Pontianak, it once again alarmed many people. Huang Huizhong quickly received the news and rushed home from the bank.

At this moment, Sun Zhiwei had changed into short-sleeved casual clothes and was happily having a meal in the living room.

In such a backward place as Pontianak, located in the tropics, it's really great to have such a familiar place to stay. There's a place to shower anytime, and there's Chinese food to eat, which is quite nice.

He was enjoying his meal when he saw Huang Huizhong come in from outside, sweating profusely.

He casually pointed to the chair next to him and said, "Why don't you freshen up first? No rush, I'm going to stay a while longer this time."

He definitely needs to stay longer. The overall environment here is not friendly to Chinese people, and he needs to turn this situation around. Otherwise, no matter how many mines he has, it will only benefit others.

Another point is that he needs to confirm whether the Huang family is a long-term partner, not only by looking at the current head of the Huang family, Huang Huizhong, but also by looking at the next successor he has chosen.

In addition, he also needs to meet Huang Huizhong's brother, Huang Huixiang. The two brothers are the two largest shareholders of "Central Asia Bank".

The two have always had a good relationship, but whether it will remain so when greater interests are involved is uncertain.

Throughout history, there have been countless stories of brothers turning against each other in the pursuit of power and wealth.

After catching his breath, Huang Huizhong apologized and went back to the backyard to wash up.

Sun Zhiwei ate his lunch at a leisurely pace. He had many things to discuss with Huang Huizhong today. Chinese people have a habit of discussing matters at the dinner table, and Sun Zhiwei was no exception.

A dozen minutes later, Huang Huizhong cleaned up and returned to the dining table in the living room. He also took a set of chopsticks and bowls and ate with Sun Zhiwei.

The two drank three cups before they began to speak formally. Huang Huizhong started by reporting on the things Sun Zhiwei had asked him to do last time.

(End of this chapter)