New York City – Oct. 10, 2018. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) has unveiled a $50,000 social media influencer campaign to promote modern Tahitian pearl jewelry as a fashionable lifestyle choice.

The CPAA’s newest initiative taps social media influencers to drive interest to pearls and, specifically, Tahitian pearl jewelry as the choice of modern collectors. The growing consumer demand for pearls has been evident for years thanks to fashion designers and the mushrooming pearl varieties available worldwide. Now the CPAA wants to capitalize on it by enlisting specific influencers to drive more awareness to Tahitian pearls, CPAA members, and CPAA on Instagram.

To date, social media campaigns with four influencers are under way to give away six products from CPAA members, and more contests are in the pipeline. Thus far, Elizabeth Savetsky of @excessoriesexpert on Instagram is conducting three giveaways for the CPAA (@pearlscpaa) with Tahitian pearl merchandise from Tara and Sons (@tarapearls), Imperial (@imperialpearl), and PearlParadise.com (@pearlparadise_official). The first contest to win a Tahitian pearl necklace from Tara kicked off on Aug. 29, and within a few days, CPAA and Tara picked up more than 300 followers apiece.

Savetsky’s love of Tahitian pearls is authentic. In early August, she wore Tahitian pearls from Tara on a “Fox & Friends” TV segment. More recently, she wore Tahitian pearl jewelry from Imperial Pearl, which loaned her earrings and necklaces and gifted her a Tahitian pearl crossover ring that fans will see in a future Instagram contest.

Elizabeth Savetsky of @excessoriesexpert

“I love how easily Tahitian pearls transition from every day to special occasion,” Savetsky tells the CPAA. “The iridescence of the color is unique and eye-catching, making the pearls feel fresh and youthful.”

Tahitian pearl jewelry was also sent to three other influencers—Ramsey Wild of @wildprettythingsblog, Meriam Gonzalez Rouchdi of @meriamgonzalez, and Renata Alvarado of @renatinha_pedrita—for contests with Baggins (@bagginspearls), Elizabeth Blair Fine Pearls (@elizabethblair_fine_pearls), and the Pearl Source (@pearlsource), respectively.

Ring in 14k white gold with a Tahitian pearl and
diamonds from Imperial Pearl

The Tahitian Pearl Producer’s Association of French Polynesia (TPPAFP) is funding these efforts for 2018 because it supports the changes—including original website content—being made by CPAA to reinvigorate the U.S. pearl market. Jewelry donations from the specific CPAA member companies and funding from TPPAFP have made these efforts possible.

“The inherently organic shapes, colors, and surfaces of pearls allow for infinitely compelling designs,” explains Jennifer Heebner, executive director of CPAA and a 20-year veteran of the jewelry industry. “Pearls offer the understated luxury that consumers today—particularly millennials—want, in addition to having the eco-friendly backstory that will turn fans into lifelong collectors. It’s about time for pearls to dominate the American jewelry design landscape, and CPAA is working hard to make that happen by sharing our passion for the category with others.”