Ongoing | 2024 - Present
Strategic Advisory
Campaign Management
Creative Direction
National Awareness
Building a National Awareness System for a Government-Level Biometric Permit Rollout
SPC RDC is a public service provider in the Democratic Republic of Congo handling the rollout of biometric residence permits—a critical, government-mandated administrative process affecting millions of residents. The challenge was simple but massive: how do you inform an entire population, across urban and rural areas, about a new legal requirement? This wasn't a product launch—it was a national-level awareness campaign with real civic consequences.
This was fundamentally different from commercial marketing. SPC RDC needed to reach every segment of Congolese society—from urban professionals to rural populations—and educate them on a mandatory governmental process.
The core challenges were:
- National-scale reach: Messaging needed to work for diverse audiences across the entire country
- Public service communication: Not a brand campaign—this was civic education with legal implications
- Multi-language requirements: French for official communication, Lingala for local resonance
- Explainer content: People needed to understand what the permit is, why it matters, and how to get one
- Urgency without panic: Communicate the requirement clearly but without creating fear or confusion
- Low digital literacy in some segments: Campaigns had to be simple, visual, and accessible
The usual FMCG or performance marketing playbooks didn't apply here. This required structured, phased, and empathetic public communication—designed to inform, educate, and drive action at a population level.
Strategic Communication Framework
We built a strategic communication system designed for large-scale public service campaigns:
- Clear messaging architecture: What the permit is, who needs it, why it's required, and how to apply
- Phased rollout: Starting with awareness, then education, then action-driving campaigns
- Multi-language execution: French for official communication, Lingala for mass engagement
- Visual storytelling: Strong, simple creative that works across literacy levels
Campaign Architecture
We designed campaign structures that addressed the unique needs of public service communication:
- Awareness campaigns: Broad reach to inform the population that the permit exists
- Educational campaigns: Step-by-step explainers on what residents need to do
- Action-driving campaigns: Messaging to encourage registration and completion
- Reassurance messaging: Addressing common fears, myths, and confusion
Each campaign phase was designed with a different objective and message, aligned with where people were in their awareness journey.
Content & Creative Execution
We worked closely with SPC RDC to produce content that was:
- Simple and direct: No jargon, no confusion—just clear information
- Visually strong: Graphics and videos designed to work even for audiences with low digital literacy
- Empathetic: Recognizing that government processes can be stressful and confusing
- Culturally relevant: Messaging aligned with how Congolese residents receive and trust public information
Continuous Advisory & Campaign Management
Throughout the campaign, Makina acted as a strategic partner, advising on:
- Campaign timing and phasing
- Budget allocation across awareness vs. conversion
- Audience segmentation and targeting
- Creative adjustments based on performance and feedback
Awareness campaigns reaching all segments of Congolese society
French and Lingala content for maximum accessibility
Structured communication system from awareness to action
The impact is measurable at a population level:
- National-scale reach: Campaigns successfully reaching diverse audiences across the country
- Clear public communication: Residents now understand what the biometric permit is and why it matters
- Multi-language accessibility: Content working in both French (official) and Lingala (local)
- Structured campaign system: Phased awareness, education, and action-driving messaging
- Government-level credibility: Communication designed to build trust and reduce confusion
- Scalable framework: A reusable system for future public service campaigns
Public Service at Scale
This is not a typical case study about ROI or conversion rates. This is about using strategic communication to inform millions of people about a civic requirement, reduce confusion, and drive nationwide participation in a critical government process.
SPC RDC now operates with a structured awareness system that can be adapted and scaled for future rollouts, making it easier to reach and educate the Congolese population on essential administrative services.
