First-hand experience is the order of the day at Husqvarna’s innovative media event
Husqvarna South Africa recently hosted a group of influential media for a two-day event at Ndaka Safari Lodge in the Nambiti Game Reserve. The event not only showcased Husqvarna’s new range of battery-powered equipment, it also provided an opportunity for the media to experience the equipment first hand through a range of highly-entertaining, interactive activities.
One of the world’s leading producers of forest, park and garden outdoor power products, Husqvarna is pioneering the development of battery-powered outdoor power tools to meet the global demand for equipment that is virtually silent and non-invasive. The result is a range of quiet but powerful tools that are lighter and have fewer emissions than traditional machinery.
Pieter Smuts, Husqvarna South Africa’s Managing Director explains that the media event was first and foremost an opportunity to showcase this new equipment: “This range is still relatively new to the South African market and while the journalists were aware of these products, they hadn’t actually seen them in action. The event gave us the perfect opportunity to let the media get their hands dirty!”
The delegates were in fact challenged to “Beat the Beast” in a range of activities in which Husqvarna’s Brand Ambassador Tendai “Beast” Matawarira dared the media to beat his time in certain tasks. Giving them the chance to experience the “silent” equipment first hand, the journalists worked with chainsaws, leaf blowers and high-pressure washers, having great fun as they safely put the powerful tools through their paces.
The benefits of this battery-powered range for reducing noise pollution in built-up spaces is a win for not only landscaping professionals and hospitality establishments, but also schools and avid gardeners too.
“Our chainsaws are now the tool of choice for the courageous conservationists who are dehorning rhinos to discourage poachers. They are not only lightweight but are also powerful enough to help get this process completed as quickly and quietly as possible with minimal trauma to the animal,” Pieter explains.
This range is also becoming popular for veld management. The equipment is being used to open up grassland and increase profitability, and to date thousands of hectares of high-value land has been cleared of encroaching bush, allowing for better grazing on both agricultural and conservation land in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.
“Our success in veld management was one of the key reasons that we hosted the event at Ndaka. The Lodge has been using Husqvarna equipment to eradicate alien invasive plants, a success story that Mark Marshall, Owner of Ndaka Safari Park shared with our media delegates,” says Pieter.
While the purpose of the event was to update the journalists on the advancements being made by Husqvarna in outdoor power products for domestic and commercial use, the media were also exposed to the company’s latest marketing efforts including the launch their first-ever TV commercial as well as the new “We Are” campaign, featuring Tendai “Beast” Matawarira.
“It was important for us to bring key media to Ndaka to truly immerse them in the Husqvarna experience, our vision for the future and our long-term commitment to sustainability. It proved to be the perfect showcase to explain how we are keeping abreast with major trends – not only from a global perspective but also on home ground,” Pieter explains. “Ultimately, this highly successful event was an opportunity to partner with key influencers who share our vision for sustainability because it’s in acting collectively that we continue to affect change.”
For more information on Husqvarna’s range of equipment visit www.husqvarna.co.za
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