Unilever launches Grow FM; targets 1 million converts to good hygiene

Unilever Ghana Ltd says it is targeting 1 million children to change their attitudes towards health and hygiene through a new integrated marketing campaign known as Grow FM.

Grow FM, which was launched last Friday at the Lutheran Mission School, focuses on teaching children three health practices using three different Unilever products; Hand washing with Lifebuoy soap, brushing the teeth twice daily with Pepsodent and eating well to grow healthy with Blue Band.

Unilever is Ghana's leading manufacturer of fast moving consumer goods. The company has a Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) which is projected to improve the health of 1 billion people worldwide.

USLP, according to Unilever, is aimed at  decoupling their growth from our environmental impact, while at the same time increasing their positive social impact.

It has three big goals to achieve by 2020 – to improve health and well-being, reduce environmental impact and source 100% of our agricultural raw materials sustainably and enhance the livelihoods of people across our value chain.

Speaking at the launch, Sylvia Akwah, Manager said the Management of Unilever is impressed by the successes which the behaviour-changing school programme has chalked.

He revealed that the programme has resulted in over 50% conversion rate of school children practicising personal hygiene since it was first launched three years ago.

Back then, each product, Pepsodent, Lifebuoy and Blue Band, had its own health and hygiene campaign, she said. The company has now decided to combine the three brands into one multibrand campaign to maximize its impact.

According to Mrs Akwah, the Grow FM  campaign, which a pillar of the USLP, will be carried out in schools in the Ashanti, Greater Accra and Western Regions and will involve the use of music and drama to help make to message of the importance of good hygiene and health more exciting for school children. 

Several school children from all classes gathered at the launch and witnessed a glimpse of what Grow FM will be like as the audience was entertained with poetry, drama and an impressive acrobatics show which tried to demonstrate the need for healthy bones by using Blue Band.

The Director of Physical Education at the Ministry of Education speaking on behalf of the the Minister of Education Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman said Grow FM campaign is "linked to government's own policy on child health care and child education".

He reiterated government's commitment to improving primary education through the Better Ghana Agenda by distributing free laptops, exercise books, free school uniforms and free lunch under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

He described Unilever's Grow FM campaign as "wonderful", "innovative" and asked corporate bodies to develop initiatives that try to make a difference in the lives the principal assets of this country - children. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]