DUBUY.com is an e-commerce platform that creates and promotes cross border and domestic trade opportunities. It supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 which aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle-income country, provide a high quality of life to all its citizens by 2030 in a clean and secure environment. The platform provides a gateway of trading opportunities between Kenya and the rest of the world. The launch in Kenya followed a successful launch in Rwanda.
These trading opportunities are enabled by The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) which is a crucial driver for economic growth, industrialization, and sustainable development in Africa. DUBUY.com offers Kenya access to world-class port and logistics facilities via Rwanda and Berbera. DP World has signed contracts to develop an additional 11 future ports in Africa.
THE CHALLENGE
Edelman was to create a sustained communications approach that will educate, inform, and create awareness about DUBUY through media engagement and a launch event.
STRATEGY & EXECUTION
Edelman Kenya conducted a thorough audit about the e-commerce and consumer behavior space in Kenya. We leveraged the research and guidance from our client to identify key elements of our messaging that would create the biggest media impact and create a narrative direction for DUBUY.com that would resonate with audiences in Kenya. Throughout developing our strategy, we were careful to keep in mind the sensitivity around start-up companies from abroad venturing into Africa and fears of exploitation.
Our communications strategy was informed by the research carried that enabled us to execute various tactics that engaged audiences in Kenya to create high impact and create awareness of DUBUY.com by engaging with the media to educate general audiences about the importance of the platform.
Our approach to the campaign covered three main components:
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Media management
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Event management
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Social media content planning
Our media approach was focused on managing the narrative around DUBUY.com, distributing of a press release to local and national media in Kenya, and arranging one on one interviews for Mahmood Al Bastaki, COO DP World.
Our event approach was to invite the press to a launch event in Nairobi to amplify news coverage and highlight key aspects of the launch for increased talkability.
Our social media approach was to educate the public on the initiative post the announcement and developing a social media PR strategy that would amplify all social media news coverage and highlight key aspects of the initiative for increased talkability.
RESULTS
- +195 pieces of coverage including interviews and articles in global and local tier one media such as The Guardian, TechCrunch, Business Insider, Pulse Nigeria, and The Daily Standard.
- 123M online readership
- 1.35k social media shares