[Mikeyy]

So the industry titans will have another event. Big deal. Impressive line up of industry leaders. How many of them actually know how to promote a product? Every year there is some meeting meant to promote pearls. And they will have another next year and the years after that. Where are the promotional programs in the U.S.? No ad campaigns that anyone outside the industry would read. Do they know how to promote pearl sales to the general public? Do they know the general public? Instead of bloviating year after year in exotic locals about pearl promotion they should sit down and think outside of the industry. Joe public has know idea who these people are. And next year Joe public will have heard nothing about pearls from any meeting in Dubai. Promoting pearls in jewelery mags etc. does nothing to rekindle peoples interest in pearls. I see ads promoting diamonds on T.V. and in publications that real people read. Who reads industry publications but other people trying to sell product. It is a waste of space. So its nice that a bunch of wealthy people are going to have fun. But if anything comes of it I'll eat my hat. Well that is my opinion. That and about $5 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

[Mikeyy]

I mean how about promoting pearls as a healthy substitute for ******?

"The little white pill"

[Mikeyy]

You can't spell V-I-A-G-R-A????? Really?

[jshepherd]

Isn't that supposed to be a little "blue" pill?

I am speaking at the conference in Dubai. Hopefully something will come of it. I think we will have to wait and see what the benefit will be. It seems to be another style of Pearls '94.

[Mikeyy]

Originally Posted by jshepherd

Isn't that supposed to be a little "blue" pill?

I am speaking at the conference in Dubai. Hopefully something will come of it. I think we will have to wait and see what the benefit will be. It seems to be another style of Pearls '94.

Good luck Jeremy. I hope you can get through to them. It wouldn't take much to help encourage and rekindle Americans interest in pearls. I wish I had a hold of the money they have spent in the last five years impressing each other at these events. We would be selling more pearls here then we could get a hold of. It drives me nuts.

[Kevin Canning]

you pretty much summed it up Mike - sounds like more preaching to the choir.

[MistofCassiopeia]

I will be missing that conference by a week! bleh. I do a lot of research and personal shopping and it appears that women 40 and younger don't seem to be interested in pearl necklaces per se, they think that they are old-fashioned and only old women wear them. However, they are interested in unusual or exotic pearls. I wear mine as much as possible to encourage interest. The admiration for pearls is out there but it needs to be re-kindled to a younger audience via a means that they are exposed to. De Beers has had successful advertising campaigns in the past but it cost them millions. Hmmm, how to start a pearl revolution....lol

[Mikeyy]

Originally Posted by MistofCassiopeia

I will be missing that conference by a week! bleh. I do a lot of research and personal shopping and it appears that women 40 and younger don't seem to be interested in pearl necklaces per se, they think that they are old-fashioned and only old women wear them. However, they are interested in unusual or exotic pearls. I wear mine as much as possible to encourage interest. The admiration for pearls is out there but it needs to be re-kindled to a younger audience via a means that they are exposed to. De Beers has had successful advertising campaigns in the past but it cost them millions. Hmmm, how to start a pearl revolution....lol

Maybe it takes a movement from others. I wonder if the crew in Dubai will ever think of an ad campaign. Or product placement schemes etc. These meetings in the past have yielded little more then pictures of people shaking hands with each other. Followed by much talk about what should be done. Sometime..

But the pictures are pretty. And I know that I am very impressed with how nicely they dress for the occasion.

[GemGeek]

:::: meouch! ::::

[Sueki]

Originally Posted by MistofCassiopeia

I do a lot of research and personal shopping and it appears that women 40 and younger don't seem to be interested in pearl necklaces per se, they think that they are old-fashioned and only old women wear them. However, they are interested in unusual or exotic pearls. I wear mine as much as possible to encourage interest. The admiration for pearls is out there but it needs to be re-kindled to a younger audience via a means that they are exposed to.

Over here, I see lots of young girls wearing long ropes of pearls. They seem to be very fashionable at the moment.
Trouble is, they are ropes of faux pearls.....

[Mikeyy]

Originally Posted by GemGeek

:::: meouch! ::::

Right, I should cool it a bit. But I would like to see some concrete plans. And I think they should put a real promotional group together with a focus on the masses.

[pearlescence]

I agree- big opportunity missed with the Sex in the City film and its prominent pearls - now that would have been marketing as opposed to (self) promotion

[Valeria101]

After-sale promotion?

[elisa]

Over here, I see lots of young girls wearing long ropes of pearls. They seem to be very fashionable at the moment.
Trouble is, they are ropes of faux pearls.....

haha yesterday a guy in the library asked me if my PP City strand was from Topshop. I am seeing faux ropes a lot these days. long necklaces are def. in right now.

i'd love to find more 'fashion' options available at affordable prices (eg. long tin cups made with off-round freshwaters and sterling instead of rounds and pricey gold; ropes done with tiny fw. and beads; long chains with pearl charms).

Pearl studs are ubiquitous, though...been spotting lots of button shaped ones on the bus and in the classroom. cute, classic, inexpensive.

[MistofCassiopeia]

Yes, pearl stud earrings seem to be pretty popular although off rounds are just beginning to hit the market here within the last few months believe it or not.