Terms Of Reference: Engagement Of A BTL Brand Activation And Digital Marketing Agency For MSIG Ghana Social Marketing Products

Job Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Engagement of a BTL Brand Activation and Digital Marketing Agency for MSIG Ghana Social Marketing Products

Background
MSI Reproductive Choices Ghana (MSIG) is Ghana's leading provider of sexual and reproductive healthcare services. Through its Social Marketing Programme, MSIG markets a portfolio of reproductive health products, condoms, emergency contraceptives, medical abortion tablets, and pregnancy tests, through commercial channels including pharmacies, patent medicine stores, hospitals, clinics, supermarkets, and filling station networks across Ghana.

With a growing product portfolio and 23 active distributors, MSIG is focused on accelerating performance against its 2026 commercial targets. Priority areas include driving brand visibility for Flame Condoms, clearing 99,000 units of BK-1 Emergency Contraceptive ahead of its February 2027 expiry, and closing the remaining gap on FP/CYP and gross margin targets. Gross margin currently stands at 37% against a 40 to 50% target.

MSIG is therefore seeking to engage one or more specialist agencies to lead a focused, high-impact brand activation and digital marketing campaign across Ghana, delivering measurable uplift in consumer demand, trade engagement, and product off-take. The primary investment will be directed toward below-the-line (BTL) activations and digital/social media marketing, which have demonstrated the strongest return for MSIG's products and consumer segments.

Objectives
The appointed agency or agencies will be mandated to achieve the following:

• Drive immediate and sustained sales volume growth across all SM products, with particular urgency on BK-1 EC and Flame Condoms via active digital marketing and consumer activations
• Build Flame Condoms into a recognised, preferred brand among Ghana's youth and urban adult population through sustained digital presence and impactful BTL engagement
• Develop and execute bold, high-impact digital and social media campaigns that grow consumer awareness, generate demand, and convert engagement into sales
• Design and execute BTL activations that connect directly with consumers at the point of purchase, on campuses, at entertainment events, and in communities
• Identify and activate MSIG's key marketing opportunities, GOIL filling station partnership, university campus events, OTCMS training platform, sports and entertainment events, with professionalism and a results-focus
• Support trade sell-through by building strong retailer and distributor relationships backed by creative trade marketing tools and structured incentive schemes
• Generate measurable, reported demand uplift that contributes to MSIG closing its 2026 commercial performance gap

• Develop and manage paid advertising campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, targeting 18 to 35-year-old Ghanaian consumers in urban and peri-urban areas

1. Facebook and Instagram: audience targeting by age, gender, location, and interest, with specific targeting of urban youth, students, and young adults in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, and Cape Coast
2. TikTok: creative, entertaining content formats, challenges, skits, influencer content, designed to drive organic reach and shares for Flame Condoms and BK-1
3. YouTube: pre-roll and in-stream video advertising tied to sports, music, and entertainment content that aligns with MSIG's target consumer segments

• Develop product-specific ad creative for each platform, with distinct creative treatments for Flame Condoms, BK-1, and PT Cassette
• Continuously optimise campaigns based on performance data, weekly creative refresh where engagement drops below target

• Develop and manage a consistent social media content calendar, minimum 5 posts per week across platforms, for Flame Condoms, BK-1, and the MSIG Social Marketing brand
• Manage MSIG's social media communities including active community management, consumer responses, and brand engagement
• Develop platform-specific content formats: Reels and Stories for Instagram, short-form video for TikTok, carousel and infographic content for Facebook, and educational long-form content for YouTube
• Build a bank of evergreen content assets (product education, health facts, testimonials) to sustain posting cadence between campaign bursts

• Identify, negotiate, and manage partnerships with credible Ghanaian lifestyle, health, student, and entertainment influencers, both macro (100k+ followers) and micro (10k to 100k followers), to amplify product messages authentically
• Develop structured influencer briefs aligned to product messaging and brand guidelines, with clear performance expectations and content approval processes
• Leverage student influencers and campus content creators specifically for Flame Condoms and BK-1 university campaigns
• Ensure all influencer content is FDA-compliant and reviewed by MSIG before publication

• Deploy Google Search advertising to capture demand from consumers actively searching for reproductive health products, contraceptives, pregnancy tests, and related categories
• Run Google Display campaigns to build brand awareness for Flame Condoms and BK-1 across Ghanaian digital properties and news sites
• Execute retargeting campaigns to re-engage users who have interacted with MSIG's social or web content

• Design and manage targeted WhatsApp broadcast campaigns to MSIG's pharmacy, distributor, and OTCMS outlet networks, driving trade awareness, promotions, and product push notifications
• Execute SMS marketing campaigns to MSIG's existing consumer and provider databases to support campaign moments and product promotions
• Develop a WhatsApp channel or group strategy for ongoing engagement with pharmacy partners and key trade accounts

Below-the-Line (BTL) Brand Activations
BTL is where MSIG needs the most immediate and visible on-ground impact. The agency will design and execute a comprehensive activation programme that puts products directly in front of consumers and drives trial, preference, and repeat purchase.

Consumer Brand Activations

• Design and execute regular consumer activation events at high-footfall locations: markets, malls, entertainment venues, sports bars, cinemas, transport hubs, and community centres across all target regions
• Develop a branded activation toolkit, tents, banners, branded uniforms, experiential props, and branded giveaways, that delivers a consistent, high-quality brand experience for Flame Condoms and BK-1 at every touchpoint
• Execute product sampling and demonstration activations where legally permissible, particularly for Flame Condoms, to drive trial among new consumers
• Run themed activations tied to key calendar moments: Valentine's Day, World Contraception Day, World AIDS Day, Condom Week, and other relevant health and lifestyle dates
• Execute branded sports viewing activations at selected bars, pubs, and fan zones in Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi, with Flame Condoms and BK-1 featured prominently and available for purchase on-site, leveraging the FIFA World Cup 2026 window
• (June to July 2026) and other major sporting events
• Activate at major Ghanaian entertainment events, where MSIG's target consumer audiences are concentrated

University and Youth Campus Programme
Youth and students are a primary target segment for both Flame Condoms and BK-1. The agency shall execute a sustained, year-round campus engagement programme that builds genuine brand affinity among Ghana's university population.

• University of Ghana (Legon): build on existing Pent Hall Week and Evandy Hall activations to develop a full-semester engagement programme covering all halls of residence
• KNUST, Kumasi: design and execute an equivalent campus activation programme for KNUST's student population
• University of Cape Coast (UCC), University for Development Studies (UDS, Tamale), and additional campuses as agreed with MSIG
• Freshers' Week and Orientation activations at all target campuses, securing prime positioning at student welcome events at the start of each academic semester
• Campus Ambassador Programme: recruit, train, and manage student brand ambassadors at each target university to drive peer-to-peer awareness, on-campus distribution, and social media amplification
• Student union and hall week sponsorships: position Flame Condoms and BK-1 as sponsors of key student events, competitions, and social occasions
• Pop-up product and information stands at campus pharmacies, student health centres, and student union buildings

Point-of-Sale and Trade Marketing

• Design, produce, and deploy a comprehensive suite of POS materials across all target retail outlets: shelf wobblers, counter cards, shelf talkers, floor stands, window stickers, product display units, and branded storage racks
• Ensure MSIG products are visibly placed and branded in at least 70% of all detailed pharmacies and OTCMS outlets nationally
• Execute a pharmacy makeover programme for top-tier outlets, co-branded shelf units, fascia branding, and dedicated product display zones for Flame Condoms and BK-1, to establish category leadership at the point of purchase
• Develop and manage a structured trade incentive scheme to accelerate BK-1 offtake ahead of the February 2027 expiry deadline, including retailer bonus schemes, display competitions, and outlet sales staff incentives
• Activate the GOIL filling station channel (121 shops nationally) with branded POS display, product availability assurance, and cashier product awareness training
• Design and implement a pharmacy loyalty programme that rewards consistent stocking, display, and active selling of MSIG products

Pharmacy Council OTCMS Training, Demand Creation Platform

• Co-lead and support the Pharmacy Council OTCMS National Training programme (scheduled July to November 2026) as a structured demand-creation and brandbuilding platform
• Design branded training materials, product knowledge guides, and leave-behind POS kits for all trained OTCMS staff, ensuring that trained outlets become committed Flame and BK-1 stockists
• Develop and execute post-training follow-up activations to maintain momentum, drive restocking, and sustain shelf presence in all trained outlets

Community and Grassroots Outreach

• Design and execute community outreach and demand-generation events in periurban and high-density communities across all target regions
• Work with community health volunteers, women's groups, and community leaders to extend MSIG's brand presence beyond formal retail channels and reach consumers who are not yet accessing products
• Execute mobile roadshows that bring Flame Condoms, BK-1, and PT Cassette directly into communities where retail coverage is limited centres, and student union buildings
• Identify appropriate community partnership opportunities, churches, community associations, market women's groups, for health messaging and product awareness events

Medical Detailing and Provider Engagement
Agencies pitching for the full scope or for trade and BTL sections should also be prepared to support or lead structured medical detailing for Misoclear and Mariprist. Specialist medical detailing agencies may pitch for this section independently.

• Detail healthcare providers, doctors, nurses, midwives, and pharmacists, on Misoclear and Mariprist, covering indications, dosage, and appropriate referral pathways
• Maintain and update a live provider and facility database, submitted to MSIG monthly
• Organise at least one regional provider training per region per year, in collaboration with MSIG's clinical team
• Support direct institutional sales to clinics and hospitals, targeting a minimum of 800 Mariprist packs and 1,500 Miso packs per month
  
• Identify appropriate community partnership opportunities, churches, community associations, market women's groups, for health messaging and product awareness events

Medical Detailing and Provider Engagement

• Agencies pitching for the full scope or for trade and BTL sections should also be prepared to support or lead structured medical detailing for Misoclear and Mariprist. Specialist medical detailing agencies may pitch for this section independently.
• Detail healthcare providers, doctors, nurses, midwives, and pharmacists, on Misoclear and Mariprist, covering indications, dosage, and appropriate referral pathways
• Maintain and update a live provider and facility database, submitted to MSIG monthly
• Organise at least one regional provider training per region per year, in collaboration with MSIG's clinical team
• Support direct institutional sales to clinics and hospitals, targeting a minimum of 800 Mariprist packs and 1,500 Miso packs per month

Sales and Trade Management

• All activation must be underpinned by strong trade management to convert consumer demand into retail sell-through:
• Structured detailing and relationship management across pharmacies, OTCMS outlets, hospitals, clinics, distributors, and supermarkets
• Secondary sales monitoring across MSIG's 23+ active distributor network, with weekly reporting
• Minimum 50 new retail outlet onboardings per quarter
• Monthly market intelligence reports covering competitor activity, pricing dynamics, distribution gaps, and consumer feedback
• Sales forecasting inputs aligned to MSIG's monthly Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) cycle
• Weekly sales activity and revenue reports per product and per channel

Key Performance Indicators
The agency will be held to clear, measurable KPIs reviewed monthly and quarterly. MSIG expects data-driven accountability, not activity reporting alone. KPI targets must at minimum match MSIG's 2026 Business Plan targets; proposals that exceed BP targets will be viewed favourably.

Key Deliverables

Required Skills or Experience

Agency Requirements
MSIG will only shortlist agencies that can demonstrate the following minimum qualifications. Specialist agencies pitching for a specific section of the scope will be assessed against the requirements most relevant to that section.

• Minimum 5 years of marketing agency experience in Ghana, with demonstrated expertise in digital marketing, BTL activation, or trade marketing, full-service agencies with all capabilities in-house are welcome but not required
• Proven portfolio of successful brand activation or digital marketing campaigns for FMCG, pharmaceutical, or health products in Ghana, case studies with measurable results are mandatory
• In-house creative team (art direction, copywriting, video and content production), agencies that outsource all creative work will not be considered
• In-house digital marketing capability with active management of paid social media and Google campaigns, verified client references and account performance screenshots required
• National field activation capability, own or verified partner ground teams present in at least Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, and Cape Coast
• Demonstrated experience managing university campus programmes, youth activations, or student engagement campaigns in Ghana
• Understanding of reproductive health, social marketing, or public health communications is a strong advantage