The company's stationery marketing manager, Millicent Quoilin, said that 1259 schools across South Africa would benefit over the next three months. Included in this is 801 schools in Gauteng (over 570 000 learners), 250 in the Western Cape (155 000 learners) and 24 schools in KwaZulu-Natal (100 000 learners). The remaining 175 000 pens will be handed out to schools in Limpopo, the Free State and North West.
The Read Educational Trust, a South African-based NGO that operates in the education and literacy sectors, working in teacher development and providing resources to schools, will distribute the pens. National director, Bertus Matthee, said that its association with BiC was the perfect combination as the organisation supplies writing activities to schools and BiC is now providing the much needed pens to optimise these.
BiC launched its campaign at the beginning of the school year with an aim to make a difference in the lives of children who will be South Africa's future. Over 20 different products carried a campaign sticker and each time one of these packs was sold, the company donated a pen to a disadvantaged child.
Quoilin said the company had decided to partner with both retailers and customers in helping improve the education of children from poor communities. In 2011, a large portion of the 12 283 875 learners enrolled in 25 851 schools across South Africa lacked the most basic educational tools, including pens. In contrast, during the back-to-school period, an estimated R115.7 million is spent and 52.1 million units are sold to more privileged consumers.
"As a market leader, we know that something as simple as a pen is key to a child's education. Without one, a child is unable to record what he or she has learnt and cannot refer back to something that may be crucial to understanding another lesson later in the term. In fact, without a pen, a learner cannot even write an exam," she pointed out.
Together with other school principals and the company, she thanked retailers for supporting the campaign that proved that all stakeholders could work together for the good of future generations.
Quoilin said the support of loyal retailers and their customers had seen increased sales and enabled the company to reach its target of one million pens within the stipulated time of March 2012. "We went all out to develop a campaign that clearly defined the brand in the consumer's mind, one that gave both our established and our new customers a reason to choose it."
The campaign was backed by an integrated marketing campaign that included eye-catching point of sale material, above-the-line advertising, social media and PR. At the same time, the company offered 20 prizes worth R5000 each for education in an SMS competition and prizes of iPad 2s as part of a Facebook competition.
Matthee added that the company's success would make a tangible difference in the lives of children who struggled to have just the basic necessities. "Writing instruments are as important as having books to read. The company and stationery retailers across the country have supported us in an area where help is urgently needed. Writing is a skill that many children lack. Writing helps one understand and teaches one to reason. Thanks to this campaign, a million more learners will have a tool to be able to write."
For further information about the campaign, go to www.bic.co.za or visit its Facebook page.
