Hello Africa! Great Success of the Campaign
During the summer of
2015, the African community living in Germany was high on the agenda for MoneyGram. As one of the leading organisations in the international money transferring sector, MoneyGram stands for the quick and reliable trans-national processing of money transfers. In order to bring recognition to the financial service provider and to raise the degree of brand awareness, MoneyGram was supported by za:media, a creative agency specialised in multicultural marketing based in Mannheim (Germany).
For MoneyGram, the campaign was less about short-term promotional measures to achieve economic goals, which would initially be expected of a financial service provider. Rather, close to the company’s heart the main aim was to create long-term platforms of communication and encounters.
To begin with, a web portal was launched which, amongst other things, puts emphasis on areas in Sport, Culture and Lifestyle. Moreover, a Germany-wide events calendar and city guide detailing African shops and cultural venues offers Africans and those interested an opportunity to communicate with one another. With over 6,500 visits per month, the Afrika! portal has developed into one of the most important sources of information for Africans and Africa enthusiasts in Germany, in just four months.
In addition, the Afrika! magazine was produced, which is released monthly in a practical A5 format. The free magazine aims to embrace the African culture in Germany and is available for all those interested. With a monthly circulation of 20,000 copies, the magazine reaches people throughout Germany. Both the portal and the magazine will continue to be carried out by za:media beyond the duration of the Hello Africa! campaign.
The highlight of the Hello Africa! campaign was composed of three Afrika! days, which took place in the highly African populated areas of the Rhein-Main-Area, Hamburg and Berlin. While designing a concept for the Afrika! days, the challenge initially laid with the diverse customs, traditions and cultures of the 55 African countries. It is however, the love of football, music and dance that unites all African people. The focal point of the one-day events in Wiesbaden and Hamburg, was the MoneyGram Cup, a 7-a-side football tournament for teams with African players. In Berlin, the focus of the evening event was put on African music and dance. Moreover, the tasting of African dishes and drinks was not lacking at any Afrika! days. In the coming year, further Afrika! days will take place, in order to continue to promote the exchange between cultures and generations.
In addition to the goal of assuring MoneyGram’s position amongst the top financial service providers for international money transferring, the company’s social responsibility was of great importance to the campaign. With this in mind, refugees from different backgrounds were invited to all Afrika! days. Together they celebrated the African culture whilst enjoying free food and drinks and for a few hours being able to turn their backs on the refugee life.
In total, more than 200,000 people were reached through the Hello Africa! campaign.
