African Parks
African Parks, an NGO managing 22 protected areas in partnership with 12 governments across Africa, had a mammoth story to tell: the purchase of the world’s largest private captive rhino breeding operation, “Platinum Rhino.” We. was selected to promote the news about the purchase and rewilding of 2,000 Southern White rhino.
With the sale under review by the Competition Commission and no clear timeline for a decision, the story could break at any point. We. developed robust messaging, a media plan that could be actioned fast, and extensive collateral: FAQ, internal communications guidance for key stakeholders, a VIP mailer, social media assets and a landing page. The The story was pre-seeded under a strict embargo with priority Tier 1 journalists with a global media rollout to follow, targeting South Africa, the USA and Europe.
The effort resulted in +600 on-message stories, in publications including The New York Times, National Geographic, BBC and Bloomberg, coverage worth an estimated $4 million. Social media content and conversations related to the release were seen over 700 million times. And African Parks’ purchase of 15% of the world’s remaining wild population of the rhinos brought some fresh hope for conservation.
“The team at We. seamlessly integrated with our internal team, effectively becoming an extension of our team. They ensured that the influx of media queries was managed promptly and consistently on message. Their proactive approach and dedication were instrumental in maintaining our public image and communication strategy during a crucial period.” —Carli Flemmer, Chief Marketing Officer, African Parks
