Where does the phrase 'a diamonds is forever' come from?

The saying 'a diamond is forever' was introduced in 1948 as part of a diamond jewelry advertising campaign by the diamond conglomerate De Beers, and the diamond company has used the slogan consistently ever since. It is largely considered the most effective campaign slogan of the 20th century, or possibly in all of history. The slogan was highly successful in increasing the demand for diamonds by solidifying the link between diamond jewelry and romance, and making diamond engagement rings an integral part of marital tradition. It all started in the late 1930s, when diamond prices were plummeting and De Beers was set on finding a way of increasing the value of diamonds and the demands for them. De Beers hired the ad agency N.W. Ayer & Sons, Inc. of Philadelphia, who were the ones that eventually came up with the famous slogan 'a diamond is forever.' The way the story goes, it was the well known copywriter Frances Gerety that invented the phrase, very late one night after racking her brains all day to think of a good slogan that would play on the intrinsic qualities of romance and diamonds, trying to make her morning deadline. The way she tells it, exhausted and despairing she said 'please God give me a line'. A minute later she scribbled down 'a diamond is forever' on the bottom of a picture of two lovers on their honeymoon, then she packed up her stuff and headed home from the office. In the morning, she read it over and realized she had come up with something good. By the 1960s, it was pretty much inculcated in everyone that the gift of a diamond was the best and only way to express true love and commitment. The slogan has been translated into dozens of languages for diamond advertising campaigns. According to surveys, 'a diamond is forever' is the most recognized slogan in the Unites States, and some 90 percent of all Americans recognize it.

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