Halal forum pushes food with thought

A major marketing push is underway by the World Halal Forum (WHF) in the lead up to its May conference in Kuala Lumpur aimed at dispelling some popular myths.

The forum, which promotes the halal food industry - in the lead up campaign is reaching out to consumers to enhance their understanding of halal as a food preparation built around hygenic principals.

Boutique communications and consulting firm KasehDia, which is organising the event, has been spreading the word in different countries through industry dialogues, meetings, media briefings and an above the line marketing campaign.

Nordin Abdullah, executive director, KasehDia says the campaign to for the forum will cost RM6 million and includes TVCs on networks in the invited countries, including those in the Middle East and Arabian countries.

Digital promotion and outdoor are other avenues that are being used where news about the WHF is spread via email blasts and billboards and buntings are “planted” around the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to create awareness amongst Malaysians themselves.

Held for the past three years, the forum will open its doors to 2,500 delegates from as close by as Southeast Asia, to as far as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Uruguay and Russia on May 8 and 9.

“Despite the economic downturn, the halal food industry will continue to manifest to standardisation with a logo of IHI (International Halal Integrity) and the national authority logo,” he added.