The Client

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ALROSA, a diamond company headquartered in Russia, is a global leader in rough diamond mining, and accounts for about one-third of the world’s diamond production. The company has had a long association with India, trading gem-quality diamonds, the source material for polished diamonds. It was keen on further strengthening this relationship by establishing its first representative office in India at Bharat Diamond Bourse in BKC, Mumbai. The decision was made as it was necessary for the company to have a local representative who could provide an accurate estimate of the current industry scenario, directly address challenges faced by traders, streamline existing business processes and acquire new clients.

The Challenge

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The main goal was to announce ALROSA’s entry into India in an impactful manner, especially to key players in the diamond industry and the media fraternity. The company wished to inaugurate its India office and requested that a press meet be arranged at the same venue. The team faced spatial constraints that could only accommodate a limited number of people, which made it difficult to organize a conventional press conference.

Our Approach

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The public relations team took a hands-on approach to organizing the launch of the new ALROSA office in India and established a communications plan to announce the mining giant’s foray into the country. Since the available space was limited, the team gauged that a press conference would not be effective. Instead, we facilitated one-on-one interactions between Mr. Evgeny Agureev, Member of the Executive Committee and Director of the United Selling Organization of ALROSA, and Mr. Jim Vimadalal, Director of the Indian Representative Office, and prominent members of the media from publications that ranged from financials mainlines to trade magazines, both national and local.

The Result

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A small but successful launch was executed, keeping in mind the client's requirement without compromising on the quality of media. The event was attended by top journalists and the launch of ALROSA's India representative office received extended press coverage, appearing in print and online publications such as the Times of India, The Hindu Business Line, The Economic Times, Loksatta, Diamond World, The Quint, India Today, Mining Daily, Retail Jewellers India and Yahoo Finance.