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Abstract
In 1947 “a diamond is forever” became the official slogan of the De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited and is to date one of the most recognizable slogans in the history of American advertising. This thesis utilizes De Beers advertisements and N.W. Ayer & Son agency records from the Great Depression through the early postwar years to explain how diamond engagement rings became the traditional symbol of love and commitment in American culture. “Creating an Engaging Tradition” also seeks to explain how the success of these campaigns was due to N.W. Ayer & Son's ability to adapt its De Beers advertisements to changes in the American economy, courtship, and marriage. Consequently, these advertisements reinforced the changing gender roles of the period by portraying a domestic ideal of women as dependent consumers and men as providers.
