FUFA ACHIEVEMENTS SERIES: WEEK 2- COMMUNICATION

In the series building up to the FUFA Annual General Assembly due September on 26th 2015 at Soroti Hotel, the FUFA Communications department continues to bring you highlights on a weekly basis for (11 weeks) of FUFA’s achievements under the administration of President Eng. Moses Magogo and his entire Executive.

Last week we kicked off the series with Marketing-a pivotal area for any institution. This week we open up with Communication.

This is the President’s take on FUFA’s area of Communication;

In my manifesto, I promised that FUFA will create and implement a communications strategy with the objectives of Brand Building, Public Relations (Image Protection), Mobilisation and Creating Unity in the football family. I also promised that we shall use reconciliation, listening to divergent views and going into the faces of those with a different opinion.

 

Before;
The FUFA Communication Plan that we had built over years depended on a media committee of volunteers with a volunteer chairman who was also a member of the FUFA Executive Committee and probably without much expertise in the entire communication edge save for the media.

FUFA was very much alive for press conferences, press releases, media House visits with an emerging but inactive website and that was all. Whereas this was a huge effort compared to 8 years before, it was not enough considering the rapid growth of the communication desires to standout in a crowd of brands competing for the same resource basket.
Our intervention and Achievements;

• We hired a full time Communication professional staff who had excelled and created links in the Uganda Sports Media. He has been trained by CAF and FIFA. He is responsible for the design and implementation of the entire communications strategy.
• FUFA now operates a properly designed communications policy. Our official communications platform is purely about football development and not football politics. We are more professional and we do not operate confrontational and disrespectful communication even in divergence of opinion. Concerned persons are given the platform to speak about their areas of expertise or lines of duty. We also try to be proactive in our communications.
• We have conducted a national symposium to obtain the ideas of many of the stakeholders as we promised in the manifesto and we intend to do it annually. This gave birth to the 2019 Project Cameroon
• We have engaged government on many occasions and we currently enjoy a very good reception and support by the Office of HE the President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, HE the Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, The Rt. Honourable Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, the various Ministries, the Rt. Honourable Speaker and Members of Parliament, the Judiciary, the Uganda Police, the UPDF and the various government agencies. The attendance of these various dignitaries to our events is by strategy, design and efforts.
• We also now operate a deliberately designed communication strategy with the following tools;

 

Digital Platform;
Facebook; The official Facebook page (Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has been created currently with over 16,000 likes and this ranks us among the top 30 brands in Uganda. We use our official page to make online updates of events such football matches and meetings.

Twitter; The official twitter handle (@OfficialFUFA) has been created currently with over 3000 followers and this ranks us among the top 50 individual and brand rankings in Uganda. We use our official handle to make online updates of events such as football matches and meetings.

Website; We have revamped in design and content the official website of FUFA (www.fufa.co.ug) It is buzzing with hourly updates stories and also contains static information of our Statutes, Regulations, Circulars, our history and news from our members. However there is more work still needed on this project.

 

Emailing List; We have created a large mailing database list targeting internal and external audiences. Links to our website and social media platform as are shared.

FUFA customary emails: The federation now has its customary e-mail for official communication (admin@fufa.co.ug). All FUFA departments and staff have such emails also for ease in communication.

External platform; we have made timely sharing of our communication with FIFA and CAF digital media and many of our stories have been shared with the World Audience.

Conventional Print and Electronic Medial;

• We organise professionally our Press Conferences right from invitation, to execution and follow up by sharing of the official written Press Conference Material (Audio, Video, Textual and Pictorial)
• We distribute massively our professionally prepared Press Releases.
• We also prepare and distribute the video and audio material where the media may not be able to reach in time.
• The Official Spokesperson runs weekly columns in one of the biggest daily print media-Red Pepper and occasionally FUFA officials run articles on topical issues in the Print Media

 

Brand Communication

• FUFA has acquired its own Public Address System such that the opportunity to communicate at all events is assured and unlimited.
• We have also produced branding materials such Press Backdrop banners, Pitch Boards and teardrop banners that are strategically positioned at events we are associated with.
• We have created FUFA branded memorabilia such as pens and notebooks.
• We have created various brand identities for the various brands under FUFA
• Our official vehicles have large FUFA Logo Stickers for easy identification and many small stickers are shared on the many vehicles of football fans.
• The FUFA Executive Committee has been provided with branded designer suits and this will also be extended to Staff, Delegates, Uganda Cranes and International Referees
• We have distributed the official Uganda Cranes Jersey to all FUFA Course Attendants, Delegates, Staff and other stakeholders.

 

Electronic Newsletter
We are currently producing and distributing a monthly Electronic News Letter called FUFA Monthly. We get the opportunity to say our stories in our own words. This has been a massive tool for those who want to Print and read at leisure or keep a record.

Bi-annual Printed Magazine
We have also approved the Print of the 6-month Magazine starting January 2015. The first edition is in its final stages.

FM Radio Audience
We acquired the now mighty 102.1 FUFA fm. This Radio has been a massive addition as we run authentic information, educate and entertain our listeners. We are also shocked by the growth rate of listenership beyond the projections we had estimated. The impact is already being observed with the return of fans to the League after a series of live commentary of our league games and international matches.

 

FUFA Media Centre
For the FUFA General Assembly, AFCON and WC Qualifier Matches, we have now introduced a media centre where only accredited media that are nominated by the various media houses are given facilities like Internet, working tables, television screens, privacy and printing services. This provides them an environment to share with the World proceedings of the events.

• We receive all constructive analysis on our various feedback channels that include the social media. We do not take any criticism with offence and where we find need to adjust in our operations or to take responsibility, we do it with pride. We respect the views of our dear fans.
• We have engaged and continue to reach out to many hitherto negative energy persons. Those that have agreed to contribute to the game, we have given them an opportunity and football is benefitting from their positive energy now. We continue to run an open door policy for whoever wants to contribute to the game. We encourage dialogue and reconciliation

Tangible Results;

• We have achieved increased Brand Awareness and Brand Equity. The volume of sponsorship has not accidentally increased but these efforts
• We offered the audience with an alternative to information that had hitherto always gone incorrect but unchallenged and many an occasion taken as facts
• We have reduced on the wrangles and negative energy using reconciliation, listening to people with divergent views, explaining ourselves and being non-confrontational.
• The numbers of fans consuming Ugandan football such the Azam Uganda Premier League, FUFA Big League and FUFA Women Elite League is steadily increasing

There is still a lot to be done but considering the 2-years so far, we believe this has been a great job done. The impact of the current intervention so far in the communication Agenda is yet to be fully enjoyed yet but with more initiatives and investments we shall achieve more.

It is Our Game, It is Our Country