Blood Diamond movie events don't impact diamond buying says JCOC

By M&C News Dec 13, 2006, 4:26 GMT

12/06/2006 - Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond Hollywood Premiere - Grauman\'s Chinese Theatre - Hollywood, CA © SOLARPIX.COM Photorazzi

PASO ROBLES, Ca. (M&C) - As the jewelry industry braces itself on the heels of the release of Warner Brothers’ ‘Blood Diamond’ movie, the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC), a division of MVI Marketing Ltd., is testing consumer reaction to the film.

In a JCOC study launched on Sunday, December 10, 2006, consumers provided the first response to the movie and its potential impact on the retail diamond industry.

Polling of more than 2,900 JCOC consumer panel members revealed 11 percent of movie-goers saw the Blood Diamond movie on its debut weekend. Of those respondents, 50 percent considered it very good, and 31 percent believe it is a possible Academy Award winner. More than two-thirds of those who watched were impressed with Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance.

“The JCOC also set out to understand how this movie may impact future fine jewelry purchases,” stated Elizabeth Chatelain, president of MVI Marketing Ltd. “Among those JCOC panelists who saw the ‘Blood Diamond’ movie this past weekend, nearly 60 percent indicated it did not affect their opinion of the diamond industry and 64 percent understand that the diamond industry has safeguards in place to prevent the sale of conflict diamonds in the consumer market.”

Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, 'Blood Diamond' is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) - a South African mercenary - and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) - a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives.