The sixth annual promotional campaign for South African fruit will increase its ethical focus this year with a per pack donation going to charity.
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund will benefit from a donation displayed on fruit punnets and bags, and the campaign has also secured a limited number of copies of the 2013 film Mandela: A long walk to freedom to be given out with select packs.
“This year marks a departure from previous years’ competitions to win a holiday, towards a more charity-focused campaign,” said Dominic Weaver, director at campaign organisers and PR company Red Communications.
“There is a trend towards the charity route this year, as it’s that something consumers like. And the Nelson Mandela name is the clearest possible link between South African fruit and the ethical principles behind the campaign.”
Weaver said that the campaign, which focuses on stonefruit and top fruit in the UK and German markets, aims to build long-term relationships with suppliers, importers and retail buyers, and promote South Africa as a national brand.
“When there is pressure, such as the Russian ban, in the background, you start to see the value of a long-term promotional campaign, as there are already long-standing relationships in place,” he said.
The campaign is also re-running its two competitions, which raise consumer awareness of South African fruit among children and the catering trade respectively.
The fourth year of ‘Help a South African School’ will be supported by freight companies Maersk and Damco, as well as courier MyHermes and packaging firms Rajapack UK and Tindalls, who will help ship donated books over to South African schools.
The second year of ‘Cook South Africa’ will aim to follow last year’s success, when one UK chef and one German chef won stages with top South African chef Margot Janse in her Tasting Rooms restaurant in Franschoek.
Weaver said: “The aim of this competition is to influence a completely different sector in the catering trade. The two chefs will have buying power in a few years time, and they can bring back their new knowledge to their own markets.”
Product manager for grower group Hortgro, Jacques du Preez, said the campaign has become an 'integral' part of the stonefruit and top fruit seasons in the UK market. 'At its launch, the initiative set out to highlight the USPs of South African produce to the trade and to shoppers. As it progressed, the public relations, marketing and social media activity has enabled consumers to understand that buying [South African fruit] makes a difference to the lives of those who grow it.'
The campaign will also build on films and infographics used in previous years to promote the ethical effect of buying fruit from South Africa, as well as continuing with retailer tastings and point of sale activities.
Between 2010 and 2013, in the six years during which the campaign has run, plum sales in the UK have risen by 63 per cent in the top four retailers.
Weaver added that, although plums is one of the highest statistics, all stonefruit categories have seen growth in the UK from when the campaign started.
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