CSR platform

Challenge

Kraft Foods’ business has grown quickly in China over the last few years. As a major player in its industry, the company wanted to build a correspondingly high profile as a good corporate citizen. A standard charity program would not well leverage its strengths and might not engage employees; Kraft Foods China management therefore tasked MSLGROUP China with creating a sustainable CSR platform, based on the company’s products and unique competencies.

Solution

To meet these requirements, MSLGROUP China developed the Kraft Hope Kitchen concept, a CSR program based on the well-known Project Hope rural primary school initiative. MSLGROUP China coordinated the partnership with the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) to improve child nutrition and food safety at Project Hope schools, lined up all involved parties, and launched a systematic campaign to promote the project to internal and external audiences:

• Volunteer recruitment from media and public and engaged them in planning and research; employee Volunteer Committee to recruit and engage employees
• Program launch in Anhui Province involving CYDF, media and Kraft Foods employees
• Internal and partner communications using e-newsletters and Supplier Conference
• themed with “Fulfill Social Responsibility, Achieve Delicious Success”
• Publicity program creating sustained media exposure for every program milestone, including highlights such as basketball star Yao Ming endorsement.

Results

As a result, the Kraft Hope Kitchen program has become an iconic CSR brand in China, as well as a volunteer platform for the Kraft Foods China employees.

To date, results include:

• Over100KraftHopeKitchens
• Some6,000hoursofKraftFoodsemployeevoluntaryservice
• More than RMB 1,000,000 of cash donations from business partners
• “ExcellentPartnerofProjectHope”awardfromCYDF
• 2010 Corporate Social Responsibility Partnership Award” from Shanghai AmCham.

 CSR Commitment

Challenge

Kraft wanted to launch and promote its whole grain Pacific brand biscuits in China. However, when we conducted research on consumers, journalists and nutritionists, we found that the concept of “whole grain” was not clearly understood. Since there were other brands calling themselves whole grain as well, this made it hard for Kraft to sustain the claim of launching “the first real whole grain biscuit” in China.

Solution

In order to increase brand awareness, establish preference and trigger target’s first trail, the MSLGROUP China team initiated a campus campaign with hot topics of career development that combined with below and above the line activities that attract targets’ attention.

Under the theme of “Showing Your Beautiful Natural”, their seminar included three aspects which were diet, interview skill and make up, and a creative photo shooting competition that is integrated with road show. In result, SNS and campus KOL boosted Pacific Whole Grain’s awareness by building a young and trendy image.

Results

Despite the big number of Kraft Foods employees participating, the result was a well organized and focused outreach. Schools and communities provided lots of positive feedback to Kraft Foods, with testimonials of the impact Kraft Foods’ employees had on the local community.

Media has published over 150 articles, and there are numerous blog posts covering the events.