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The OK Grand Challenge campaign is now the biggest promotional retail brand not only at the country level but in Southern Africa.
Having stood the test of time over the years, the OK Grand Challenge is attracting participants in the grocery retail and wholesaling value chain, incorporating horse racing as one of its biggest drawcards.
Scott Buchan, Vice-Chairperson of the Mashonaland Turf Club (MTC) in his final acceptances remarks for the 33rd running of the Ok Grand Challenge at Borrowdale Racecourse that took place yesterday, 4 June 2022, said because of such a reputation, the retail industry-related sporting event has been elevated to a grade one horse racing listed event within the rules of the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) and Southern African horse racing.
He paid tribute to all stakeholders who combined efforts and expertise to make it an international brand.
‘The Mashonaland Turf Club (MTC) and the grand challenge event, have become a part of that, a platform for everyone out there, both you and I, where despite two years of lockdowns hardships, and an undeniable rising cost of living, the OK Grand Challenge promotion that has run over the last four months, brings fun, laughter happiness and savings that leave no one behind,’ Buchan said.
He thanked the OK Group on behalf of the MTC for their continued investment in the sport. The annual shoppers’ promotion is run by Ok Zimbabwe and was launched in April 1988. The promotion is now 34 years in running.
OK Zimbabwe Marketing Director, Juliet Ziswa, said the OK Grand Challenge has grown to be the biggest promotional brand in Zimbabwe and in Southern Africa.
“It has created the largest horse race attendance numbers on the continent and still lives on today as the most anticipated horse race on the African continent,’ Ziswa said.
A number of blue-chip companies attended the OK Grand Challenge grand finale for 2022 at the Borrowdale Racecourse in Harare yesterday.
Spiked Online Media caught up with Roseline Chisveto, the Head of Marketing and Public Relations of Netone – one of the suppliers in the OK Grand Challenge Promotion, who shared the company’s optimism for continued participation in the unforeseeable future.
“OK Grand Challenge is one of the biggest shoppers promotion platforms in the country. As NetOne Zimbabwe, we will continue participating in it to give real value to our customers. As you can see, we are giving away one of the vehicles to our lucky customer in this campaign.
“We also encourage our customers countrywide to buy airtime electronically as we take the bold steps to do away with physical airtime vouchers,” Chisveto said.
A communication expert with Econet Wireless said the company will continue to dish out digital services that make communication easy, and affordable for all.
In attendance were companies like Delta Beverages, Probrands, Lobel’s Bread, Innscor, City of Harare, ZimGold Cooking Oil, Dairbibord, among others, just to mention a few.