Although their influence is now somewhat diminished, for more than a century they ran a text book marketing campaign that ensured they earned vastly inflated prices for their shiny little rocks - first by buying up the newly discovered South African
diamond mines so that they effectively controlled the market, then by creating the impression of scarcity by ruthlessly controlling supplies; and then, in their pièce de résistance, commissioning one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history to create the tradition of giving
diamonds as
engagement gifts; which includes the famous «
diamonds are forever» advertising campaign and sponsoring movies such as Gentleman Prefer Blonds (1953), To Catch A Thief (1955) and The Pink Panther (1963).