Economic performance

The jewellery industry in Brazil reportedly earns revenue of $1.5 billion per annum, (exports amounting to some $600 million annually). To capitalise on this market, in 2002, AngloGold Ashanti launched the Designer Forum competition, making a commitment to sponsor a similar event every other year. Following the success of the 2004 event, the Designer Forum is now firmly positioned as the foremost jewellery design competition in the country, and is the only one sponsored by a mining company.

AngloGold Ashanti has found this to be a valuable opportunity to market both the company and its product, gaining significant local and some international media attention. More importantly, it supports the group's marketing initiatives to make gold more accessible, innovative and interesting for newer and younger markets.

The 2004 Designer Forum was launched at the South African Embassy in April 2004 to coincide with the South African 10 years of democracy celebrations. In May, preliminary forums took place in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and São Paulo with 525 participants entering - 80% more than in 2002.

Designs were entered into one of two different categories: the Designers Category (for professionals) and the New Talent Category (for students and beginners). Technical judging took place over three days at the group's regional headquarters in Nova Lima where 100 finalists were selected. A second round of judging in July yielded 33 pieces for the 2004 collection - 28 pieces from the Designer Category and five pieces from the New Talent category.

The final event was held this year in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with 'Roots and Form' as the theme. Top international model Ana Hickman displayed the pieces to a gathering of 600 people. To support the event and collection still further, the final collection was shot on models underground and well-known model and actress Janaína Lince was photographed on a bed of gold bars.

Not only does the event promote AngloGold Ashanti and gold jewellery in particular, but the participant designers reported that the most valuable aspect of the Forum was the publicity and exposure they received in the media.