Association for Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE)
Problem Statement
The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) approached Conversations Media to assist it in preventing a proposed tariff increase (10 percent to 82 percent) that threatened the livelihoods of its members.
Our Solution
To raise AMIE’s media and public profile so:
- It would be acknowledged as a significant player in the poultry industry policy-making process
- It could present a balanced view of how protectionism impacts the local poultry industry
- It could get the public to understand how the tariff increase would affect them.
CMC also persuaded AMIE to undertake a comprehensive study into the challenges faced by the poultry industry.
Results
In 2018, AMIE had zero media mentions, a website that was never updated and no social media activity. By 2019, the media regularly approached AMIE for commentary on industry-related issues and over 90 percent of these were positive mentions.
Thanks to our brokerage, AMIE went from political obscurity to enjoying a direct relationship with Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC). They are signatories to the national poultry strategy alongside South African Poultry Association (SAPA), trade unions and other key stakeholders, and the Trade and Industry Minister’s Advisor addressed their AGM.
CMC won a Silver Award in the Public Affairs category at the 2020 PRISM Awards (Africa’s most sought-after PR and communications awards) for the campaign it ran for AMIE.
Testimonial
Matthew Stern
Programme Director: the EU-funded EU-SA Partners for Growth programme
“In all of their work, Conversations have performed at a high professional standard and have delivered high quality and impactful results.
The team at Conversations demonstrates a wide range of experience and they have been extremely responsive to all ofour needs.”