Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:10:00
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Best Malawian (bmi) is an initiative to promote the Malawian economy from within. Centred on usage of a logo, identifying products and institutions as Malawian, bmi is a pride campaign similar to the Australian made and the Proudly South African campaigns. The campaign, a hybrid of the South African and Australian campaigns is presented from a Malawian context, taking into account what has and has not worked globally.
By joining bmi, members make a meaningful contribution towards building a Malawian economy thus contributing towards job creation, indirectly assisting in alleviating poverty, disease and crime. These aspects make the campaign an excellent corporate social responsibility initiative.
The campaign also helps in boosting product or institutional marketing as institutions now have a campaign that actively seeks out to market, profile, promote and sell their products and services. Bmi will canvas the whole country, through billboards, TV, newspaper, radio adverts and promotional materials, special events and bmi week or month, to sell Malawian products and institutions carrying the bmi logo. Our message will be simple, ‘buy best Malawian products’ or ‘use services of institutions that carry the best Malawian logo’. In so doing, we will be able to keep the money in Malawi, be able to employ more people who will be able to produce more of these products, encourage entrepreneurship and an enterprising spirit, and effectively engender national pride.
Best Malawian has earmarked some institutions to be Founding Sponsors, three Strategic Partners including the MCCCI, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Private Sector Development and MBS and six corporates as Founding Members
At least four of the above institutions will hold a seat on the Board of Directors of bmi in the quest for transparency and accountability.
Objectives Bmi objectives are to engender national pride and encourage consumers and institutions to choose locally made products and services bearing the sign of quality, the bmi logo. Bmi will also be used to promote tourism and destinations in Malawi that meet the standard set by bmi and in the short term will maximise the benefits derived from the 2010 games. We hope through bmi, alternative venues in Malawi for teams, and the hordes of tourists, may be identified and promoted. South Africa and its neighbouring countries may not be able to handle all the tourist traffic and Malawi may thus benefit from those looking out for warmer alternatives.
We also plan to promote culture through the bmi concept.
Bmi will promote quality as only those products that are of the highest quality and services of institutions that are of highest standards will be approved to carry the logo.
Bmi will support government in its effort to turn our country into a predominantly producing and exporting country as opposed to importing and consuming.
The Brand Bmi secretariat will be the custodian of the logo and bmi, at the most, intends to create a brand out of Malawi, its products and institutions. As characteristic of a brand, bmi will be identifiable, consistent yet creative in the implementation of its strategies. In promoting and protecting the brand, we will employ the services of a local advertising agency roofhouse which is wholly owned by a Malawian company but works in cooperation with Africa’s largest network of Ad Agencies, OMA network.
How to Join and the Criteria All institutions interested in joining must fill in an application form and submit to bmi secretariat. Once approved and an annual membership fee has been paid, the institution can use the logo according to the code of conduct and terms of bmi. Both forms and code of conduct will be made available on the bmi link on the this website.
Bmi will be open to any organisation, including not for profit, government departments, NGO’s, academic institutions, sports organisations, trade and industry and associations. The membership criteria guarantee members’ integrity to join. To join an institution must satisfy any one of the three core criteria i.e. • Local content • Local ownership • Local head office
Plus the additional compulsory Quality Criteria.
Local Content- The company’s products must carry at least 50% of locally sourced raw materials. They must incur at least 50% of their production costs, including labour in Malawi and be substantially transformed.
Local Ownership- The institution must have at least 50% local shareholding/ stakeholders
Local Headquarters- The institution must be headquartered in Malawi
Quality- The institutions services must be of high standards and the products must be of high quality - bmi will engage the services of experts in different fields to ascertain the quality requirement is adhered to.
Note: by joining institutions voluntarily show willingness to have their premises, products inspected and services rated at any reasonable notice.
By meeting these standards, consumers can be assured that institutions and the products carrying the bmi logo are of high quality and that they are supporting the local economy.
Non compliance with the criteria of the campaign will dilute the bmi brand value thereby undermining all our marketing and advertisement efforts.
Bmi members will therefore have the obligation to make full realisation of the above pledge by complying with the criteria of the campaign. Furthermore, members must establish and maintain systems and policies to ensure that their employees and agents know and comply with their responsibilities in relation to the use of the bmi logo.
Benefits Publication- Incmedia the publishers of Diversity Leader will produce a bmi edition featuring member institutions at no-extra cost. Special promotions will be carried out for the bmi logo holders e.g. the bmi week or month.
Partner, Founding Member & Sponsor: All communication, advertising and events will carry Founding Sponsor, Founding Member and Strategic Partner logos and banners.
Media- Often times media releases will be made to notify the general public of the members roll, there also, the above will be highlighted.
Exclusive Fairs or Trade Exhibitions- will be held for members. Special offers and special deals: will be negotiated amongst members and for members.
Promotions- Useful and beautiful promotional items such as point-of –sale materials, corporate clothing and a range of other merchandise will be produced by bmi to be available at favourable prices for bulk orders. These items will represent an effective way to market and advertise the campaign and to boost the benefits of bmi membership.
Exporting- bmi will not only promote institutional products and services within this country but will also look out for partners that are able to assist in facilitating exports for members.
Procurement in Tendering- bmi will lobby for members to have preference for their products and services when it comes to tendering. Government has always been committed to supporting local content and ownership and we will continue to push for formal tender recognition and preference given to bmi companies. We want to ensure that our members are recognised in the tender processes of both public and private sectors. Bmi will also campaign publicly against tender practices that unfairly prejudice local producers or members.
Tax Rebates - We will also, through this campaign actively lobby for tax rebates for members due to their contribution towards job creation etc.
The Logo The bmi logo is every member’s stamp of quality, an indication to all that their product or service or institution complies with local content, local ownership and local headquarters criteria and it is also the key to umpteen business and networking opportunities with other members.
We look forward to your partnership in the campaign.
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