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IAA World Congress offers special privileges to Indian delegation
MUMBAI: The IAA India Chapter will be offered a special concession to invited Indian delegates of the World Congress scheduled in Dubai from 20 – 23 March, 2006.
This is the first time that the Organising Committee of an IAA World Congress has offered a special concession to Indian delegates.
IAA India Chapter president Sam Balsara said, “We are delighted that the Organising Committee of the 40th IAA World Congress has recognised the important role that India can play in the World Congress to be held at Dubai and have agreed to offer a special delegate fee of only $ 750 (as against $ 1,200) for invited Indian delegates. With this we hope to take a delegation of at least 100 Indian delegates to the World Congress.”
Advertising, marketing and media people in the world and the Organising Committee is sparing no effort in putting together a renowned list of speakers, which includes the Who’s Who from the world of advertising, marketing and media.
Prominent amongst the confirmed list of speakers are – Allen Rosenshine (chairman, BBDO), Ann M. Fidge (chairman, Y&R Brands), Dr Tony Alessandra (author of The Platinum Rule), Gregory Lee (chief marketing officer, Samsung Electronics), Howard Draft (chairman, Draft Worldwide), Jack Klues (chairman, Publicis Groupe Media), James R. Stengel (global marketing officer, Procter & Gamble), John Elkins (executive vice president, Visa International), Marcio Moreira (vice-chairman, McCann-Erickson), Norman Pearlstine (editor-in-chief, Time), Sergio Zyman (author and former CMO, Coca-Cola), Sir Martin Sorrell (CEO, WPP), Steve Forbes (CEO, Forbes), Susannah Outfin (CEO, Carat International), Tateo Mataki (CEO, Dentsu Japan), Tom Bernardin (CEO, Leo Burnett Worldwide).
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De Beers launches ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ centenary book
Visual retrospective traces 100 years of iconic slogan and cultural impact.
MUMBAI: De Beers just dropped a century’s worth of sparkle between two covers because when a four-word line becomes forever, even the book needs a forever title. De Beers Group has released A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of a Cultural Icon 1926–2026, a landmark visual retrospective celebrating 100 years of shaping the modern perception of natural diamonds. The book traces how the brand transformed diamonds from elite heirlooms into universal symbols of love, commitment and personal achievement, with rare archival material, campaign highlights and cultural commentary.
At its core is the legendary 1947 slogan “A Diamond Is Forever,” penned by N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety. The four words redefined diamonds as eternal promises, earning the title of the 20th century’s greatest advertising slogan from Advertising Age in 1999. The book explores how this idea and others like the “Two Months’ Salary” guideline and the “Right Hand Ring” influenced social rituals, female independence and consumer behaviour worldwide, including in India, where diamonds shifted from gold-centric traditions to emotionally resonant milestones.
Beyond marketing, it showcases collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Raoul Dufy, alongside icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Later campaigns, including the 1990s “Shadows” series set to Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, reinforced diamonds as timeless and unique. The narrative also addresses today’s focus on provenance, sustainability and ethical stewardship, positioning natural diamonds as symbols of both enduring love and responsible luxury.
The book arrives as De Beers marks a century of innovation in luxury marketing, from the Great Depression to the era of conscious consumption, offering a rare window into one of advertising’s most enduring brand stories.
In a world where trends fade fast, De Beers didn’t just sell diamonds, it sold forever, and now it’s bound the proof in pages that will outlast even the hardest carat.
