VIRTUAL EVENT SHOWCASE

Oh, baby!

The business of parenting is a big deal – just ask the founders and sponsors of the BabyYumYum.co.za Virtual Parenting Experience powered by Momentum Medical Scheme. Meetings speaks to the team to unpack this.

What started as a blog intended to empower parents who were coming to grips with the numerous challenges presented by their newfound parenthood has grown into South Africa’s top parenting portal.

“When I started writing the blog, I had a very well-established PR and event management company. I was going to be one of those women who gave birth and was back at my desk the very next day. At some point during my pregnancy, I became overwhelmed by the amount of content that was out there and I didn’t know what information I could trust, so I started writing my own articles. I would then get experts to contribute and also check my copy to ensure it was 100% sound,” explains Amanda Rogaly, founder and CEO of BabyYumYum.co.za

Amanda’s blog attracted support from several advertisers and, six years later, BabyYumYum.co.za has grown into an impressive portal that is now the fastestgrowing online community for parents.

A VIRTUAL SUCCESS

As part of its drive, BabyYumYum. co.za aims to support businesses providing products and services to parents and their children by connecting them to their audience through its Virtual Parenting Experience (#VPE) platform. This encompasses everything from homeware and clothing to services specifically for parents. With 12 487 tickets sold for #VPE2022, numbers held steady this year compared to #VPE in 2021, when close to 13 000 tickets were bought. “Last year, because we are, of course, so entrepreneurial, we decided to solve the problem behind people not going to

Amanda Rogaly, in-person expos, with the knock-on of founder of this being that brands weren’t able BabyYumYum.co.za & the Virtual Parenting

Experience

Damian McHugh, CMO at Momentum Health Solutions

to expose themselves, so we decided to create the Virtual Parenting Experience. #VPE2021 was really a proof of concept, so we didn’t invest heavily in it, but from a resource point of view, with the staff and energy we put behind it, this year’s #VPE was an even richer and more engaging experience,” says Amanda.

Amanda attributes the success of the BabyYumYum.co.za #VPE2022, which ran from 20 to 22 May, to the format of the event.

“For mothers with younger children, moving around with them is hectic. There is ‘The Bag’ that needs to be prepped for every single mealtime, nappy change, and clothing for all seasons – and heaven forbid just one item is left behind! Babies can also be niggly and fuss and cry. New mothers also may not want to spend extended periods of time away from their children, so we found #VPE to be ideal for moms, who can sit back and enjoy themselves and be with their children and partners in the comfort of their home,” says Amanda.

A plus point for brands is that they can sponsor different speakers who are relevant to specific topics. They also have the option to include gifts and vouchers for the #VPE goodie bags, which are collected by attendees from their nearest Supa Quick – a distribution partner of BabyYumYum.co.za.

“Having an event background, I feel I understand very well the touchpoints that people want. They want that tangibility, and to feel as if they are involved,” Amanda states.

FORGING PARTNERSHIPS

With the steady growth of BabyYumYum.co.za and its #VPE event, this is attracting growing support from partners and sponsors, including the likes of Momentum Medical Scheme, which has resulted in a mutually beneficial endeavour between the two parties.

“Momentum Medical Scheme has partnered with BabyYumYum.co.za over the past few years to ensure that our members enjoy the world’s best healthcare and, in particular, maternity benefits.

“The scheme boasts one of the lowest average member age profiles in the open market industry, which has a positive impact on claims ratios and its resulting impact on future sustainability of the scheme, as well as contribution increases. This success can in part be attributed to our partnership with the likes of BabyYumYum.co.za, ensuring that what is available to Momentum Medical Scheme members appeals to younger individuals, such as moms and moms-to-be,” comments Damian McHugh, CMO at Momentum Health Solutions.

In addition to its maternity benefits, other parenting benefits that Momentum Medical Scheme offers include at-home vaccination of babies, at-home parenting support, and hampers to make new parents’ lives a little bit easier. Momentum further offers online antenatal classes, free access to qualified doctors at any time of the day or night, and educational materials, which are available through both the Momentum app and the BabyYumYum.co.za portal.

WHAT WENT DOWN AT #VPE2022

As an online experience, which means the need to attend in person fell away, #VPE2022 was accessible to parents and caregivers across South Africa. The convenience factor is, according to BabyYumYum.co.za, enormously attractive to new parents, as it eliminates the stress of disrupting your family’s daily routine to attend an expo at a venue.

“Attendees plan their day around the topics that appeal to them in the comfort and convenience of their own homes simply by logging on via a device with an internet connection,” say the organisers.

Pregnant women and newborns are considered high risk for Covid-19 and, says BabyYumYum.co.za, it is with this in mind that #VPE provides the perfect solution to shopping, socialising and being informed. #VPE2022 ran over the three days and included the following: • Friday 20 May – Dedicated Brand

Engagement and Retail e-Commerce Space • Saturday 21 May – Day 1 Expert

Presentations (10:00 to 16:00) • Sunday 22 May – Day 2 Expert

Presentations (10:00 to 16:00). The programme saw participation from expert speakers and hosted several interactive workshops. As part of the experience, incredible prizes aimed at couples who are starting a family and those who are already on their parenting journey were also given away.

For a small cost of just R80, parents had access to over 30 speakers, including top experts, influencers and celebrities.

“Typically, it would be very difficult for any one of us to get an appointment with one of these people because they would be either very expensive, or even unknown because they are so highly specialised. Through #VPE2022, you could watch them and engage with them online then ask them questions at the end of their presentation, which would previously be unheard of,” remarks Amanda, adding that there is also a social element with other parents who are also part of the experience.

For more information, visit babyyumyum.co.za.