JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA -- USA Rice, in cooperation with Abu Bintein, one of the major U.S. rice brands on the Saudi market, initiated a media and in-mall promotional campaign that started in September and runs through mid-October.
“This time of the year is an important consumption period here as families return from holidays and the new school year starts in the Kingdom, getting everybody back to their daily routines and, of course, their cooking habits,” said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international. “U.S. rice is seen by Saudi consumers as a healthy ingredient for families, and it is trusted thanks to the consistent high quality that can be relied on to turn out perfectly, anytime and for any dish.”
The campaign is focused on several outdoor media elements including a short video sequence on the giant LED tower in Jeddah, as well as several bridge brandings on major high traffic locations and five large LED screens at selected locations in Jeddah. Additionally, branding has been placed at 10 Hyperpanda stores (the largest retail chain in Saudi Arabia) in Jeddah and cities in the southern part of the Kingdom, at cash registers, as well as directly on the rice shelves to influence purchasing decisions at the point of sale.
"Saudi Arabia is an important and loyal market for U.S. rice, with annual imports of around 100,000 MT in the past years,” Moran continued. “Promotional activities in this market are aimed at the younger Saudi generation to increase sales and keep U.S. rice relevant for this target group; that’s a big reason why we initiated activities outside of Jeddah for the first time this year. Based on the success of these efforts, we plan to continue this roll-out in 2020."