Mercy Corps launches a campaign to promote local products in Jordan

Since mid-March, the Jordanian government has been taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID‑19. These measures have included lockdowns, curfews, restrictions on movement, and guidelines for businesses.

The COVID‑19 crisis has hit local businesses hard. Many local businesses are facing the risk of permanent closure or downsizing. This has tremendous effects on the business owners as well as their employees. Mercy Corps will be supporting the recovery of local businesses small grants as well as the “Ma’assal” campaign.

The campaign encourages consumers to value and purchase products and services by Jordanian businesses by promoting positive views about local businesses, products, and services. The campaign aims to enhance public awareness by improving knowledge, visibility, and acquainting the community with local products and making it matter to them.

“Ma’assal” - مأصّل in Arabic - translates to long-standing origins and roots, and expresses the honour, originality, and a solid origin of local produce.

Ma’assal’s graphical logo includes a “Shemagh”, which is part of the Jordanian national dress, as well as a symbol of Jordanian identity. In addition, both the key messages and slogans are derived from the word “Ma’assal”.

The campaign will kick off its activities at the beginning of December 2020 and will last until the end of January 2021. The campaign will use both online and offline methods.

The online campaign will be through social media posts, spreading key messages and success stories of businesses under the name “Massal”. In addition to that, Mercy Corps will work directly with influencers, activists, and thought leaders to increase the engagement of consumers.

The offline campaign will be implemented in coordination with the Amman Chamber of Industry and the Greater Amman Municipality. The Amman Chamber of Industry will coordinate to distribute shelf-talkers, danglers, and roll-ups that hold the campaign’s hashtags and slogan to highlight the local products in five hypermarkets across Amman, aiming to encourage the people of the community to buy local products.

The Greater Amman Municipality’s will implement advertising campaigns on 10 tunnels and bridges, plus five public busses. Moreover, Mercy Corps will work with a number of local businesses to make them engaged in the campaign’s activities and encourage them to use the campaign’s hashtags, stickers, and filters.

This campaign is part of the Leadership and Community Development program funded by FCDO (UK Aid) and implemented through Mercy Corps Jordan. Through this program, Mercy Corps is implementing a wide range of economic activities including apprenticeships for 160 job opportunities across five governorates (Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Karak, Aqaba). It will also support 25 businesses affected by the COVID‑19 crisis through small grants.

Funded by FCDO