It’s a question of … picturing the change as RamsayMedia launches CSI photographic competition for media agencies, ad agencies and the public at large. TheMediaOnline caught up with managing director, Stuart Lowe, to ask him what made this initiative different, and why they decided to hook up with BoE Private Clients to do it.
Picture the Change. That’s what RamsayMedia has called it latest CSI project, a collaboration with BoE Private Clients. It’s about harnessing the power of photographs to help change the world. Or rather, South Africa. Picture the Change invites South Africans to submit photographs that show change, or the need for change.
The public and media related industries (covering the marketing, media and advertising industries) are invited to enter. Entries must be uploaded to Facebook, with the winner in each category receiving R300 000 in media space for their worthy cause, as well as a SANParks-sponsored four-night stay in any one of its 21 parks.
A third winner will emerge from an agency lucky draw. RamsayMedia ad sales executives will call on agencies shortly to promote the project and have photos taken with agency staff. The winner will also enjoy a SANParks holiday and will choose one of RamsayMedia’s CSI projects to benefit from the R300 000 in media space.
Why did you decided to separate the media/marketing/advertising sector from the public sector?
Our client and agency partners are extremely important to us and we wanted to ensure we had a winner from the media/advertising industry. This is a feel-good way we can engage them and make them feel part of the initiative, plus have a chance to win. Often great competitions exclude people in the media and we want our ad agency partners and clients to have that chance.
In which publications will the R300 000 ‘media space’ be featured and how much space is that in terms of ad spend?
A lot depends on the winning causes. If, for example, the cause is WWF, then Getaway may take the lion’s share of the media mix. We will sit with the winning causes and work out the best mix of our magazines and digital options for them. The media space is all ‘ad spend’, so effectively R300 000 worth of rate card spend.
“A third winner will emerge from an agency lucky draw. RamsayMedia ad sales executives will call on agencies shortly to promote the project and have photos taken with agency staff.” Can you unpack this further?
This is a fun activation for our ad sales team at agency level. The RamsayMedia sales teams will be photographing agency execs and those photos will then be posted in the lucky draw section of picturethechange. To activate their entries, agency executives need to log in and click on their image – this will result in an invitation to the function/party, where all the winners will be announced. They can also, of course, submit an entry into the main competition under the media category, effectively doubling their chance of winning. The lucky draw winner will also be announced at the function; the winner has to be present to win.
Do you believe South Africans need to have their ‘sympathy’ bones tapped every now and then? (Donor fatigue and economic downturn perhaps has quite an impact on us?)
Yes – and in this case it involves very little effort on the part of the entrant, and no digging into their own pocket, for a change. We will give on their behalf – we just want guidance on what South Africans believe is important. We have noticed that most NGOs and social enterprises do not have money for marketing as there are more pressing needs – we can give them this much-need exposure, and into a top-end audience.
What CSI initiatives is RamsayMedia involved in?
There’s quite a list – have a look at the CSI page on our website: https://www.wecanchange.co.za/tabid/330/Default.aspx
Is there a chance of an exhibition featuring the photos submitted?
The plan is to showcase at least 100 of the best entries at the Picture the Change party, where the winners will be announced, so yes, there will be an exhibition, but practically speaking we may be limited to the judges’ top choices.
How did the relationship with BoE develop?
BoE Private Clients have been a long-time advertising partner of RamsayMedia and as a company that is a clear thoughtleader when it comes to philanthropy, they was an obvious choice to share this initiative with us. They certainly see the big picture and, with their help, this project – along with all the great work being done in the area of philanthropy – will help make a positive change in our communities and the environment.
What does RamsayMedia ultimately get out of projecs such as this?
We get to play our part. As a media company with multiple platforms, we’re in a position to help organisations and causes that may not have the money to reach the audiences that are potentially key to their survival. We also get to highlight the various causes we support, and that’s very important to us. We have a passionate team of people, lead by CSI head Sandy Immelman, driving partnerships with our chosen causes and making a difference in communities around us. Lastly, we get to raise awareness for RamsayMedia and its powerful special interest brands – particularly to our clients and agencies – as we promote Picture the Change and the lucky draw to them.
Approximately 100 finalists covering a broad range of causes will be chosen and showcased at a Picture the Change party to be held in June 2012. The judges, comprising RamsayMedia and BoE Private Clients executives, will consider the number of ‘Likes’ each image received in determining the finalists. The winners will be notified ahead of the party and must be present at the announcement to claim their prizes.
