Chocolate Murray Cod PRIA Golden Target Awards 2009, Environmental category. Clients, Healthy Rivers Australia, formerly the Waterfind Environment Fund and Haigh s Chocolates. Anna Jackson, Ball Public Relations Pty Ltd
TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 3 Situation Analysis 4 Goals and objectives 5 Research 6 Target publics 7 Communications strategy 8 Implementation 9 Budget 10 Results 11 Evaluation 12 Appendix A Appendix B Supporting material Media releases Media coverage Confidential budget
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A critical shortage of water along the River Murray in South Australia is affecting the future health of Australia s longest river. Biodiversity is threatened by dying wetlands that provides vital breeding grounds for native fish species. A combination of drought, over-allocation and overuse of water from the River Murray is the cause of this crisis. The crisis is a public issue. This initiative is a different and exciting way to engage the crisis eat chocolate to help to the environment. Consumers are invited to make a difference in assisting the survival of threatened native fish species along the River Murray. Family-owned Haigh s Chocolates has a long-standing commitment to the environment, driven by the family as a core company value. They actively seek socially responsible community environment projects, as well as adopting environmentally and socially responsible business management practices. Environmental not-for-profit Healthy Rivers Australia (then known as Waterfind Environment Fund) and Haigh s Chocolates worked together to marry environmental need to a commercial opportunity. They set out to raise awareness of the loss of River Murray wetlands and generate sales to meet Haigh s Chocolates aim of giving at least $10,000 to the Waterfind Environment Fund to buy water on the open market and supply vital new water to wetlands. Ball Public Relations assisted with and guided the project from the concept development stage through to the public launch of the chocolate Murray Cod. Ball Public Relations worked for both organisations to assist with meeting the joint objectives of the project. In the 12 months since the launch to the marketplace, the Haigh s Chocolates Murray Cod has raised awareness, helped refill and refresh wetlands and doubled projected sales from 20,000 Cod to 40,000. This was a highly effective, low-budget campaign. 3
SITUATION ANALYSIS Haigh s Chocolates has a long-standing commitment to the environment with initiatives such as its chocolate Easter Bilby. Part proceeds from the sale of the Bilby go to the not-for-profit Rabbit-Free Australia. Following the success of the Easter Bilby and financial support for studies into a native fish, the Pygmy Perch, Haigh s Chocolates was in 2008 ready for another environmental project under its Community Support and Corporate Citizen Policy. Healthy Rivers Australia (HRA) under its former name of Waterfind Environment Fund had built a strong public reputation as a not-for-profit initiator of projects such as safe havens for an endangered native fish, the Purple Spotted Gudgeon. HRA has a water-holding licence to buy water for environmental flows or receive gifts of water through a unique water banking system. Haigh s and HRA joined forces early in 2008. Haigh s satisfied itself that it could commercially produce and market a chocolate Murray Cod to highlight the plight of native fish suffering from prolonged drought and poor flows through the Murray-Darling system. The Murray Cod is Australia s largest freshwater fish. It grows up to 1.8 metres in length and lives for more than 100 years and was chosen as an iconic symbol of all native fish in the River Murray. The Chocolate Murray Cod was 20cm of solid chocolate and retailed for $7.95. Fifty cents from every fish sold went to HRA to support its work for healthy rivers and ecosystems. All money given to HRA was used to buy water for the environment. Haigh s aimed to sell 20,000 chocolate Cod in the first year, which would result in a $10,000 donation to Healthy Rivers Australia. This was enough to buy 25 megalitres of water at the then current price of $400 a megalitre. A volume of 25 megalitres is sufficient to rewater small, drying wetlands upon which native fish rely for breeding. Native fish breed in the sheltered wetland before venturing into the river system proper. Ball Public Relations had been working for HRA before this project. During an early project meeting, Haigh s Chocolates engaged Ball Public Relations to assist it in its campaign development and implementation. 4
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Ball Public Relations worked closely with Haigh s Chocolates and Healthy Rivers Australia to develop and understand their goals and objectives: 1. Raise awareness of the implications of the loss of River Murray wetlands that are critical breeding habitat for native fish 2. Raise awareness of and public commitment to the plight of native fish 3. Generate sales to meet Haigh s aim of giving at least $10,000 to HRA to buy open market water to refill wetlands 4. Create revenue for Haigh s through the sale of the fish 5
RESEARCH Ball Public Relations has a strong track record in media relations and communications to achieve attitudinal change. Ball Public Relation s work with HRA during the seven months before the launch of the project helped build required intelligence and information through contact with native fish and water experts in the preparation of earlier campaigns to save native fish. Research materials were also available via other Ball Public Relations environmental projects with clients such as the Alexandrina Council, which abuts the Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, and the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. This built a thorough understanding of the relevant environmental issues. HRA s concept proposal was prepared by Ball Public Relations following briefings with Native Fish Australia and the SA Department of Environment and Heritage s native fish project division. Online research on the Murray Cod was completed to help prepare the label on the back of the chocolate. Haigh s customer feedback from previous environmental programs revealed that its customers looked favourably on products with genuine environmental links. Sales from its Easter Bilby informed its sales target for the chocolate Murray Cod. For the product launch, Ball Public Relations researched appropriate media, journalists, environment writers and food writers in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. Finally, Ball Public Relations researched other environmental events and government announcements programmed for the middle part of the year before recommending a launch date to ensure best impact and timelines. 6
TARGET PUBLICS The target publics were: Haigh s Chocolates consumers who have in the past responded positively to socially responsibility initiatives in support of the environment River Murray communities with an immediate stake in the health of the river Members of the public with an interest in environmental issues and specifically the River Murray Foodies who love fine food and food news These principal media were targeted to maximise coverage with these publics: Daily news media in Adelaide for the project launch National television, in particular Channel 7 Sunrise and co-host David Koch who was raised in Adelaide and is a Haigh s Chocolates addict Food writers for Sydney and Melbourne newspapers Newspapers, radio and television news along the River Murray, Food magazine editors in the three states where Haigh s Chocolates has retail outlets, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia Food magazine editors for high profile national magazines such as Delicious and Gourmet Traveller 7
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY The communication strategy relied on these elements: Use and respond to existing community concern about the River Murray to highlight the specific issue of dying wetlands and the dire consequences for native fish Involve the South Australian Government Minister for Water Security and the River Murray, who lives in and represents a Riverland electorate Provide high-quality, well-researched written materials for media and the Minister Launch immediately before World Environment Day Link the purchase of the Murray Cod chocolate as closely as possible to reward individuals who do the right thing for the environment it feels good to buy; it feels good to eat Rely on Haigh s Chocolates environmental credibility to build the news angle of the story Haigh s Chocolates is a good company with good products and a proven good attitude to the environment Maximise Adelaide television coverage with excellent vision that included rare access to the chocolate factory floor to see Murray Cods coming out of their moulds in bulk Personalise the approach to media representatives to increase coverage, even though many were based interstate Use further media opportunities as the campaign got underway, such as Terri, Bindi and Bob s Irwin s visit to the Haigh s factory the same week the Cod was launched Follow up after one month to congratulate chocolate eaters for their outstanding support and report back on wetland watering projects that chocolate sales are underwriting 8
IMPLEMENTATION Adelaide media was invited to the local launch at the Haigh s Chocolate s visitor centre, which includes the chocolate factory. The South Australian Minister for the River Murray, Karlene Maywald, who also is the State s Minister for Water Security, launched the chocolate Murray Cod, with the support of Haigh s Chocolates Chief Executive Officer, Alister Haigh, and the Waterfind Environment Fund s Suzanne Keith. All speeches were researched and prepared by Ball Public Relations to ensure consistency of message and continuity. Media kits complete with Cods were delivered overnight to specific reporters, presenters and editors in Sydney and Melbourne, with news releases to each city. The kits included handwritten notes to please eat, talk and write about the chocolate Cod to support the real Cod. This was followed up over several days with telephone contact to check and respond to any particular requirements. River Murray-based media were also included. There also was a strong opportunistic element to the campaign. For example, during the week of the launch, Ball Public Relations discovered that Bindi Irwin of the Australia Zoo would visit the Haigh s Chocolate factory in inner suburban Parkside that day. Haigh s Chocolate management were alerted and intervened in the visitor centre to present the Irwin family with chocolate Murray Cod and to explain the project. Ball Public Relations worked with Terri Irwin s publicity team at Australia Zoo and achieved strong coverage in South Australia s top-circulating newspaper, the Sunday Mail. One month after the launch, a news release was circulated to media to thank them and all chocolate eaters for their support and helping Haigh s Chocolate to achieve almost half of its projected yearly sales in just four weeks. 9
BUDGET Please see Appendix B. 10
RESULTS All objectives were met and the expectations of both clients HRA and Haigh s Chocolates were exceeded. Haigh s Chocolates had at the outset projected sales of 20,000 Cod in the first 12 months. Sales of the Murray Cod were strong from the day of the launch with customers visiting Haigh s Chocolates specifically to catch a chocolate Cod. Within a month, Haigh s sold 8500 and, in the first year following the launch, more than 40,000 Cod were sold, doubling Haigh s Chocolates budgeted gift to HRA to more than $20,000. Excellent media coverage was achieved. Channel 7 s Sunrise alone has a viewing audience of 431,650. The total exposure of the story was to an audience of almost 3.5 million (source Media Monitors). Radio, television, newspaper and magazine coverage in each city predominantly focussed on the key messages the plight of native fish in the River Murray and promoted the Haigh s Chocolates Cod as a great way to indulge and give. In-store customer feedback shows customers continue to come to Haigh s stores specifically to buy a Cod and help native fish. HRA is working with the SA Murray Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board to seek accredited projects to rewater more wetlands. Two sites at Little Duck Lagoon near Berri and Boggy Creek on Hindmarsh Island have been re-watered. Initially there was a 12-month agreement in place between organisations; Haigh s Chocolates recently decided to continue the arrangement with HRA indefinitely. Product sales continue to generate funds for more water for the environment. 11
EVALUATION Media coverage was extensive and without exception positive. Ball Public Relations successfully positioned the chocolate Murray Cod so the connection was drawn by media between the environmental worth of the campaign and high-quality chocolate, available to socially responsible lovers of fine chocolate. WORD COUNT: 2020 WORDS 12