Company: Blue Nile Dairy Company, Khartoum, Sudan
Entry Submitted By: Cicero & Bernay Public Relations
Company Description: Blue Nile Dairy Company was established in 1997 and is situated 15 kilometres south of Khartoum, Sudan. A subsidiary of DAL Group Ltd, Blue Nile has its own dairy farm and operates a modern processing plant that has been expanded over the years to produce a wide range of dairy products, including pasteurised milk and drinking yoghurt, all marketed under the brand name CAPO.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Communications Campaign

Nomination Title: CAPO captures Sudanese hearts and minds…

   1. Tell the story about this nominated communications program (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

          Dairy products are an accepted part of Sudanese life and Blue Nile Dairy
          Company has worked hard to claim the majority of market share, however,
          increasing sales in the Sudanese market posed unique challenges. 

          In a market ruled by Islamic law, where retailers range from “the donkey-man”
          to supermarkets, where the target audience covers a wide socio-economic
          spectrum, where parts of the country are embroiled in civil war and traditional
          media aren’t a viable option, BNDC was forced to find an original promotion.

          The solution came in the form of Indonesian Yo-Yo champion, Oke Rosgana
          sponsored by BNDC to visit Sudan in 2006 as part of a travelling festival to
          promote CAPO products. The event’s success showed it was an effective means to
          engage people of all ages and overcame many of the social constraints that
          normally apply.

          To capitalise on this interest and further develop the connection with the
          broad audience BNDC’s public relations advisers, Cicero & Bernay, recommended
          using the 2007 CAPO Yo-Yo Festival as the catalyst to introduce a “Movie
          Magazine” to be shown in the community.

          The “Movie Magazine” featured three segments – entertainment, health education
          and product promotion building on the established marketing theme of CAPO –
          Quality. Taste. Trust. To ensure viewers could directly relate to the messages,
          production values were kept low, and featured “real” Sudanese people speaking
          with local accents easily understood across all socio-economic groups.

          Distribution followed the Yo-Yo Festival’s successful “roadshow” principle,
          taking it to numerous locations representing a wide cross-section of the
          community, screening it from a covered truck and using the truck bed as a stage
          for supporting promotional activities.

          The 2007 Yo-Yo festival was run over six weeks with Rosgana travelling in a
          fully branded “Gig-Rig” to venues within Khartoum and surrounding towns.
          Participants watched performances, were taught how to play Yo-Yo, and received
          CAPO giveaways.

          A PR push elevated the event into the international arena with exposure in
          overseas publications, radio and television interviews and Yo-Yo websites. The
          result was a positive feeling towards the brand, the company and Sudan itself,
          promoting pride and goodwill among company staff and the public alike.

          Taking the truck into local areas greatly enhanced public participation and
          engaged families in a way not possible with conventional theatre-style
          screenings. Many areas serviced by BNDC has a conservative Muslim population,
          making it difficult to involve women in a public arena. The fact that the whole
          family could be involved in their own environment was a major achievement. The
          hundreds of participants of all ages attending each event and the obvious
          enjoyment on their faces clearly demonstrated that CAPO was indeed engaging
          with its stakeholders in a meaningful and enjoyable way.

          The most tangible measurement of success was the uptake of an offer to get a
          free Yo-Yo by purchasing four packs of UHT milk. In 2006, CAPO gave away 50,000
          Yo-Yos. In 2007, CAPO gave away 300,000 giving a strong indication of how the
          Sudanese people embraced the Yo-Yo Festival and the Movie Magazine.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

          Due to lack of telecoms/internet in Sudan, success is measured on the street
          through sales and photos of hundreds of locals learning and being entertained.

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that carried out this nominated communications program:

          Peter Meiring is National Sales and Marketing Manager for Blue Nile Dairy
          Company.

          A successful management professional with more than 18 years FMCG experience,
          he directs a division of 335.

          Among his achievements are the successful re-design and corporate launch for
          the entire company in 2005 as well as successfully introducing many firsts for
          CAPO brands including the CAPO Yo-Yo Festival.

          Prior to moving to Sudan in 2003, Peter worked for FMCG companies in his native
          South Africa.