Conservation NGO African Parks has partnered with VML South Africa in sharing the stories, celebrating the partnerships, and highlighting conservation outcomes across its portfolio. Through the partnership, African Parks aims to deepen engagement with supporters and audiences around the world, bringing greater visibility and understanding to the long-term work being undertaken with governments, local communities and other partners to conserve some of Africa’s most critically important landscapes.
Africa is home to a quarter of the world’s biodiversity. Well-managed protected areas help safeguard this natural heritage while supporting ecological, social and economic resilience over the long term. As a non-profit conservation organisation, African Parks takes on responsibility for the long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities. It manages 24 protected areas in 13 countries, covering more than 20 million hectares across terrestrial and marine landscapes.
African Parks has appointed VML South Africa to support its digital strategy and help tell these stories more effectively.
“We chose to partner with VML because they combine deep African insight with strong digital expertise and the reach of a global network,” says Simon Camerer, Director: Marketing at African Parks. “Their presence in many of the markets where we work gives them a valuable understanding of our context. We look forward to working together to tell the stories of these landscapes, and the people and partnerships behind them, with greater clarity and impact.”
Growing Digital Storytelling
VML’s remit includes B2B and B2C digital marketing strategy and communications, website and mobile design and development, social media and CRM. Advertising will be supported by VML’s sister agency, WPP Media.
“We are really excited to be partnering with African Parks,” says Astrid Ascar, New Business Director at VML South Africa. “The combination of rich storytelling and digital craft is such a natural fit for us, and the opportunity to build awareness of the tremendous and challenging work being done across Africa has touched a very personal and passionate chord in our teams. This is work that marketers embrace – a combination of craft and creativity that can truly make a difference for generations to come.”
Across the protected areas where African Parks works, 83% of key species have increased or stabilised populations, 69% achieved in the Constituency for Conservation Index (reporting a positivity score of people’s perceptions and attitudes towards the protected area), and there have been almost 200 000 paying visitors to the parks (of which 59% were local).
These outcomes are underpinned by long-term partnerships with governments and local communities, locally grounded decision-making and strong national representation: 97% of employees are nationals of the countries in which they work. The digital partnership will help share this work and the people behind it with audiences locally and globally.
“Digital channels are central to how we communicate African Parks’ purpose and the work of our partners and teams,” says Camerer. “Through this partnership with VML, we aim to tell these stories more effectively, engage new and younger audiences, and deepen understanding and support for long-term conservation across Africa.”