Channel Life outshines competition
Channel Life achieved a “Special Mention” award in the silver category for “Brand Marketing Campaign of the Year: Products and Services: Small Budget”, at the Sunday Times Business Times Marketing Excellence Awards 2007, for marketing of the Channel Ubuntu programme.
On hand to receive the award trophy and certificate, was marketing champion Lourika Smith, who is the Corporate Marketing Executive of Channel Life.
The Ubuntu programme, a joint effort implemented together with community leaders, has already placed more than 29 Ubuntu Point service centres in deep rural communities – with plans to increase this number to 47 in 2008. These container service centres are a first for the life insurance industry and fully equipped with CAT standard product and facilities required to help pensioners and policyholders in their dealings with Channel Life. State-of-the-art cellular technology helps to ensure the best service delivery and fast turnaround time on claims, right on the policyholder’s doorstep.
“Marketing is at the heart of a business and is the catalyst to ensure successful business outcomes. We are bringing first world technology to the developing areas in a fun, easy and informative way and seeing encouraging results,” says Smith.
And this is not where it stops; the Ubuntu programme also brings much needed consumer education training and financial information to South African communities. “Recently, well over 400 community members were formally trained on how to manage their finances, with overwhelming response for Channel Life to continue with this wonderful initiative. Channel Life is proud to be able to make a difference to so many people’s everyday lives,” commented Smith.
The campaign forms an integral part of a concerted consumer education programme, that has always been a free service undertaken by Channel Life for the greater benefit of their clients. It is also a highly important requirement under the Financial Services Charter (FSC).
Pictured above:
Lourika Smith, Corporate Marketing Executive, accepting the award on behalf of Channel Life.
“Because we realised early on that a large portion of our target community may not be able to read or write, we have also taken consumer education beyond the formal, classroom style. That’s why we have created an Ubuntu Point Industrial Theatre trailer show, which delivered fun and educational theatre production performances to thousands of people, incorporating local vernaculars”, says Smith.
