DocFox

February 2024, marked the one year mark for South Africa on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list. At this critical juncture, DocFox approached Red Ribbon Communications to help shed light on their solution that enables Accountable Institutions to be Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) compliant.

The timing of our collaboration holds great significance. DocFox aims to educate the public and Accountable Institutions on FICA compliance, using our experience in generating publicity to emphasis the role companies can play to help South Africa get off the grey list.

Our strategy involved positioning Hawken McEwan, Director of Risk & Compliance at DocFox, as a thought leader in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and financial crime. Through educational initiatives, we aimed to equip Accountable Institutions with the knowledge and tools necessary to meet compliance standards and proactively combat money laundering.

We kicked off the media outreach with an article marking the first anniversary of South Africa’s greylisting, highlighting that the biggest cost has been reputational damage. The article also explained how companies can help turn the greylisting around.

We maintained our focus on educational content, exploring the significance of FICA compliance and why high-value goods dealers need to adhere to FICA regulations.

Using the concurrent national elections as a newsworthy angle, we also explored how enforcing FICA processes plays a crucial role in combating corruption and keeping a vigilant eye on South Africa’s political elite.

Our strategic media outreach culminated in a wave of PR success, garnering 30 press hits in just three months of which two thirds was in business and mainstream media such as Business Day, The Citizen and IOL, two TV interviews with eNCA and 4 radio interviews with Cape Talk, Moneyweb and Power FM.

“Partnering with Red Ribbon Communications has helped us to amplify our message and reach a wider audience, clearly showing their skills at effective FinTech PR.”

– Hawken McEwan, Director of Risk & Compliance at DocFox

67%

coverage in tier 1 publications

6

TV and radio interviews

27+ million

editorial reach