Giving Spirit - By Michelle Warren

Amarula Cream is committed to giving back to the African community it's made in. But don't expect to hear about it in an ad campaign

If you've never heard of the inspiring stories behind Amarula Cream, it's not because you've missed a major marketing campaign espousing the company's community development and conservation efforts in South Africa. There isn't one.

This understated approach highlights what experts say is the smartest thing a company can do to market its philanthropic efforts: nothing. While that might seem counterintuitive for brands struggling to differentiate themselves, it's an astute move that makes dedication to a cause much more authentic. And these days, a brand is nothing if it's not authentic.

Consumers, especially younger ones, are a skeptical bunch. They want to know the brands they buy do good things, but they don't want to get beaten over the head with marketers congratulating themselves on a job well done. "If a company is spending a million dollars advertising what they're doing, it takes away from the cause," says Peggy Cunningham, director of the Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility at Queen's School of Business in Kingston, Ont. "Once a company starts to integrate it into their marketing plan, it becomes self-serving."

In that case, Amarula Cream, which is made by South Africa's Distell Group and imported and marketed here by Oakville, Ont.-based Peter Mielzynski Agencies, is approaching corporate philanthropy the right way. You won't hear it tooting its own horn; instead, marketing efforts around the globe focus on helping build awareness in a crowded sector. While the creamy liqueur has a 70% market share in South Africa (where it was founded in 1989), in Canada it has 9% share and holds a third-place ranking behind Irish cream liqueurs Baileys and Carolans.

Amarula came to Canada 13 years ago, but in recent years has ramped up its marketing with strong retail programs, in-store merchandising, outdoor and magazine ads, as well as Internet efforts. The target is 25- to 35-year-olds, with a skew towards women.

Toni Hamilton-Edwards, senior brand manager at PMA Canada, is frank about where the company's focus lies. "Because awareness is quite low in Canada, getting recognized is a priority." The philanthropic efforts around Amarula "are not something we use as a main focus for the brand, but we definitely think of it as a great support."

More than 60,000 families in South Africa's Limpopo province rely on Distell and Amarula for income, but the company sees it as a reciprocal relationship. "Without the people, we wouldn't have the brand," says Hamilton-Edwards. Amarula Cream is made from the fruit of the marula tree. Harvesting takes place in February and March and lasts about six weeks-the company depends on locals to gather fruit from the trees, which are spread out across the land.

"For the local community our focus is to ensure consistent, sustainable income," says Hamilton-Edwards of the wire-fence and brick-making projects that Distell introduced after consulting with community leaders. The company has also built a day-care centre, a community hall and the Edinburgh Clinic, a medical centre that serves more than 6,000 families living in the vicinity of the primary production plant in Phalaborwa.

What makes Distell's approach so authentic is that philanthropic efforts are woven through every aspect of its business. "It's integrated so tightly that it's part of their DNA," observes Cunningham. "They've worked to integrate it through their structure while [many other companies simply] bolt it on."

It's obvious that at the core of the business is a deep respect for people, says Cunningham, adding too many manufacturers exploit their supply chain. "It's a sustainability agenda, not a profitability agenda."

The respect is all-encompassing. Amarula's brand identity is intimately linked to the elephant-they also love the marula fruit-thus conservation is a natural fit. The company supports the Amarula Elephant Research Program, based at the University of Kwazulu-Natal in Durban, and funds the $25,000 annual Amarula Cream Post-Graduate Bursary, which is awarded to a student working on elephant conservation. The company is also involved in various eco-tourism initiatives.

While Distell's good works are an asset in a world where consumers look beyond price and quality as reasons to align themselves with a brand, promoting such efforts is a challenge when people are turned off by companies that are too self-congratulatory. The ideal way to get the word out, says Cunningham, is when a third party (news outlet, other consumers, activists, affiliates) speaks on a company's behalf, thereby piquing interest and prompting consumers to seek more information, usually online.

Consumers are driven to the Amarula website through various contests. On the site, the company can celebrate its philosophy and outline projects in a way that would seem contrived in a flag-waving 30-second spot. In Canada, Amarula also makes a statement through affiliations, such as its official supplier status with the Toronto International Film Festival. "In lieu of gifts for visiting celebrities, we gave money back to Africa," says Hamilton-Edwards of the $60,000SA Amarula donated on celebrities' behalf for the day-care centre and clinic.

Amarula is also involved in OneXOne, a non-profit foundation committed to improving the lives of children around the world. During TIFF, OneXOne holds its annual fundraiser, hosted by Matt Damon. "Their philosophy fits well with ours," Hamilton-Edwards says of the charity, which does a lot of work in Africa. During the holiday season, Amarula is also donating 50 cents for every bottle purchased in Ontario to OneXOne.

While the holiday effort definitely falls under the marketing umbrella, it comes across as authentic because it ties in to the company's overall business model. This isn't lip service to a cause, but a major financial commitment: the company is fighting for market share and generates 50% of its annual sales at this time of year. But, as Hamilton-Edwards points out, Distell's incentive isn't simply profile or profitability, but rather integrity. "For us, it's our responsibility to take care of our community and our people."