Don’t just see the potato, see the potential

A potato is more than just a starch. It is a vegetable full of potential for innovative and fun meal ideas. This is the message that Ms Immaculate Zinde, manager of product promotions at Potatoes SA (PSA) delivered to the third-year Marketing Management students during a guest lecture in March 2015. PSA is the sponsor of the Integrated Practical Project module, and the students work with PSA in developing marketing communication strategies aimed at promoting the humble potato. Being essentially unbranded, marketing potatoes is challenging and will stretch the students’ creative and strategic skills.

Ms Zinde told the students that “people must fall in love with potatoes”. The challenge for the students this year is therefore to market potatoes in fresh and innovative ways – showcasing potatoes as “sexy”. A further challenge is to work sensibly within a limited marketing budget as PSA is a non-profit organisation. The students’ main outcome of the course is the development of an integrated marketing communication plan for Potatoes SA.

After Ms Zinde completed her guest lecture, the students were treated to a “Chip ‘n Dip” surprise sponsored by PSA. They very much enjoyed the potato chip treat and returned to class eager to promote potatoes.