Farmer Angus sells 85% of his egg business to his employees
Introduction
Farmer Angus is one of two regenerative livestock farmers in the Western Cape. He farms with cattle, pigs and chickens at the Spier Wine Farm and supplies his products to retail outlets and the restaurant and hotel trade nationally. Angus McIntosh, who is the owner of Farmer Angus, sought out the skills and services of a writer with strong media relationships to take his story to a wider audience. Farmer Angus remains a loyal customer who regularly uses Gwen Sparks’ services. The success of this and countless other campaigns since the relationship began in 2018, has led to an increase in customers, and general awareness of the benefits regenerative agricultural farming for human and animal health and wellbeing, and the environment.
Opportunity
Farmer Angus had sold 85% of his egg business (51% black women owned) to his employees making them instant business managers and shareholders. Checkers, one of South Africa’s largest retail chains, were going stock the newly owned, Farmer Angus EGGS. The news of this deal had to be announced in the public arena. It also offered the opportunity to shine a light on two fundamental issues facing human and animal wellbeing in South Africa. One – the current lack of black empowerment opportunities for South Africa’s massive farm worker population and two – the inhumane treatment of caged hens.
Solution
A publicity campaign consisting of a written press release, video and photos were circulated with the press, interviews were arranged with key spokespeople as well as site farm visits.
Impact
Since sharing this news with the press, Angus has received
37 requests by other farmers to share his egg farming methods thus growing the awareness of the benefits of the regenerative agriculture approach and its benefits
- 7 new requests by retailers to stock the eggs, thus growing the demand for regeneratively produced products
- 100% Increase in EGG sales in Checkers stores.
- Requests to stock other Farmer Angus products by Checkers e.g., charcuterie and grass-fed burger patties (now in store). Also requested by PicknPay to stock charcuterie and grass-fed burger patties.
- Farmer Angus could now approach the Department of Agriculture for funding as a result of the black empowerment deal
- Created awareness of the current state of caged hens.
Media Coverage
Earned Media in over 20 top tier media publications. For example:
National Radio Station: Cape Talk/702 – The Money Show with Bruce Whitfield
142 000 people listened to this interview; 1 274 030 online users were able to access the interview as a podcast. It was shared on social over 16 times and liked 47 times.
Watch the ENCA Video:
My Octopus Teacher launches onto Netflix
Introduction
My Octopus Teacher is a collaboration between the Sea Change Project, a Cape Town-based NGO, that is dedicated connecting people to nature and the Great African Seaforest through world-class storytelling, Off the Fence Productions based in the Netherlands and Netflix. The team produced a feature documentary about a man’s unexpected bond with an octopus, entitled My Octopus Teacher, and launched on Netflix for the world to see, on Monday, 7 September. It had by then already racked up a long list of nominations and wins before going onto winning the Oscar for Best Documentary in April 2021. This incredible story showcases the delicate ecosystem that lies beneath the waves in The Great African Seaforest, just off the shores of Cape Town. Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed and produced by Craig Foster.
Opportunity
After the success of a previous campaign for the Sea Change Project team, I was reappointed this time to act as ongoing media liaison, at first, for when the film aired on Netflix on 7 September 2020 and later for when it won an Oscar at the Academy Awards in April 2021. The client required a writer with strong media relationships in South Africa who could capture the essence of the film and communicate that to journalists. Understanding the core message was of utmost importance to the client which required a kindred ocean loving spirt.
Solution
A publicity campaign was developed which required an initial press release to be written and shared with the press, which were followed by several more until announcing its Oscar win in April 2021. This required media interviews, briefings, written press releases and statements, media liaison, and video, and voice clips to be circulated with all South African and International press.
Impact
From announcing the film’s launch onto Netflix in 2020, to it winning an Oscar in 2021
The PR campaign directed traffic to the Sea Change Project which resulted in the website crashing
- Over 100 interviews were arranged with radio and television journalists across the world, from the USA, Dubai, UK and Turkey to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.
- There were over 250 000 online articles recorded and is still increasing, and countless print articles in magazines and newspapers worldwide.
- The South African President sent a letter to the Sea Change team congratulating them
- The film and the PR campaign that helped to shape the message for audiences across the world, resulted in The Great African Seaforest being nominated as a Wonder of the World
- The film has been used by teachers in schools across South Africa
- Appointed as a Marine Protected area
- Being considered as a Unesco Heritage World Site.
Media Coverage
CNN – Amanpour
CNN reaches 78.2 million households in the U.S. and 370 million households worldwide. The You Tube link was viewed 101,601 times.
Newsweek
This article was seen by a readership of 185 million users to the website per month. It also received 1.8k likes on FB.
Forbes
Article reached 132 million unique visitors to the website.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lealane/2020/10/22/adventures-in-false-bay-south-africa-near-cape-town-location-of–my-octopus-teacher/?sh=36e08984db9e
The Independent
The article was viewed by 28.1 million individuals.
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/richard-branson-my-octopus-teacher-netflix-b1821343.html
Radio Times
The article was viewed by over 19m monthly website visitors.
https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/my-octopus-teacher-netflix-true-story/
