A global brand we can all be proud of
Two thousand and ten. Twenty ten. Two o one o. No matter how you look at it, it remains the same. The one opportunity we have as South Africans to show the world what an amazing country we have. Our chance to build South Africa as a global brand in the eyes of the world - in the eyes of the global economy. A brand that is a force to be reckoned with, and one that can stand up there with the best of the rest. We need to use this opportunity to market our beautiful country for all it's worth, and finally show the world, once and for all, that we are proud of what we have done, and what we are going to do with this amazing piece of land at the tip of Africa.
South Africa as a brand is not a new concept, and I am by no means the first person to put pen to paper on the subject. The World Cup Soccer Tournament is taking place here in 2010 and for it to be a roaring success, it needs the support of the fans. If the tournament succeeds, South Africa succeeds. The more people who attend, the greater the profits will be for the tournament, not to mention the countless other businesses, large and small, who too will benefit. South Africa as a whole, can only benefit from this. Each and every one of us needs to promote this country. We all have a story to tell, a collection of a lifetime of experiences which make us who we are. These are the stories we need to share, so that the world heads our way to see it for themselves. Doing this will help change the perceptions the world has of this wonderful country. Like any other brand out there however, it requires innovation, clear-cut values and clever thinking to be a success.
Our country has natural beauty, an innovative culture, incredible weather and like the slogan says, is Alive with Possibility! Be that as it may, we still need to work at making it a global brand that we can all be proud of. Each and every one of us in our personal capacity can make a difference. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us, whether living here or abroad, to become ambassadors for South Africa and to promote the country to each and every person we meet.
Dali Mpofu, (of SABC fame), once said: "Each person has the capacity to change not only their community or even their family, but society as a whole, so that the whole of South Africa can benefit from our own individual actions. Brand SA is about every one of us, whether in the private or public sector. If everyone changes their attitude, is proud of their roots and has the common goal of promoting South Africa, we cannot do anything but succeed, and thereby ensure that the destiny of SA is a great one".
I write a regular marketing column for Invisage, a subsection of IE Magazine. Read it here with the most recent listed first.