The Primedia Face 2 Face, Unilever and RDP - a day out for the community

July 2008

On the 19th of July 2008, Primedia Face 2 Face in conjunction with Unilever, ventured out to Thokoza for the third Rural Development Programme (RDP) called "Ikhaya Elihle" meaning beautiful home. The concept was to take every day products into the heart of the townships and present the benefits to consumers in a fun and interactive way. Through social involvement and participation the event was turned into a "day out" for members of the community.

The event was a huge success drawing a crowd of up to 10 000 where no element was overlooked. As audience members entered the event they were given an entry form allowing them the opportunity to win one of two fridges, two stoves and two TV's on the day. Sampling packs were provided by EGMS, a sampling specialist, and were filled with the Unilever products on show that day.

The show comprised live product demonstrations, skits, music, and sampling. To encourage audience participation and ensure understanding, there was a question and answer session and the person who answered correctly won a spot prize. Throughout the day, the entry form winners were announced and presented with their grand prize over the course of the next week. The products involved in the RDP Campaign were Dawn Lotion, Omo, Sunlight dish washing liquid, Domestos, Knorr, Knorrox, Rajah, Handy Andy, Vaseline Cream and Lifebuoy soap.

This type of event takes branding and product awareness to the next level by exposing the audience to new products and their relevant benefits. It enables the consumer to purchase with confidence as the lower LSM's cannot afford to try a new product or brand and do not have the resources to re-purchase should they find the one purchased does not suit their needs. Therefore education and visual evidence is a powerful medium. In today's market the ability to create and maintain market share and stay top of mind is essential therefore the ground roots approach conducted by Face 2 Face is highly effective. Their ability to communicate to consumers on a local and personal level has proved to be invaluable.