I must be one of the last people in South Africa to see ‘Invictus’, Clint Eastwood’s film of the 1995 Rugby World Cup in recently post-Apartheid South Africa. As well as an incredible story, in which the Springboks came from underdogs to win in the final against the mighty All Blacks, it could also be seen as an observation on the power of PR.
Mandela had a deep, natural understanding of his audience, his ‘family’ as he puts it, and understood the power of sport to influence and unite a nation. Moreover, the incorporation of the Rugby World Cup into his drive for reconciliation would also deliver an intuitive and subtle fulfilment of the requirement to clearly brand this new nation on the international stage. Tourism, foreign investment, people and culture & heritage, are all core elements of a nation branding strategy and the Rugby World Cup, given its international prominence at a time when South Africa was looking for FDI, was a perfect vehicle.
Mandela ‘s belief in keeping the Springbok name and colours, something most associated with Apartheid, was brave and brilliant. Sending his ‘rugby troops’ into the townships to run rugby camps for kids who had never before touched a rugby ball, was what would now be called good CSR strategy, while inviting the press along, a PR coup. As Morgan Freeman, playing Mandela, states when footage of the team with the children appears on TV, those few seconds are worth a hundred speeches. A picture says a thousand words, and sport is emotive – with or without the Hollywood soundtrack.
Every business and organisation is trying to find the ultimate channel for its story, to change minds, gain followers, or to sell something. It’s no wonder so many big corporations choose sports sponsorship as a way to reach the masses. This year’s FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa has seen billions of dollars of sponsorship deals and advertising spend as companies try to make the most of the opportunity at home and abroad. One of the most interesting things about the 1995 Rugby World Cup as it plays out in Invictus is the absolute lack of money or large-scale expenditure – pure PR and branding through and through.
Showing posts with label Branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Branding. Show all posts
Monday, 25 January 2010
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Superbrands - where to next?
The annual Superbands survey always makes interesting reading – who has pushed who from the top spot, new entrants in the top 500... It gives a bit of an insight into what people care about and how brands are moving into the consumer consciousness.
This year, expanding on a trend we’ve seen in recent years, tech takes precedence. While Microsoft took number one, bumping Google to number three (after Rolex) the order isn’t of so much importance as the volume of IT brands.
The Telegraph quotes Shar VanBoskirk, analyst at Forester: "You may drink a Coca-Cola or Starbucks drink once or twice a day, but most of us interact with Microsoft and Google every hour of our lives. These technology companies have entered into our homes, our offices - even our friendships."
So the question is who or what is next?
The FT raised this question earlier in the week, covering a research report by Wolff Olins, that tipped five food and drink brands from emerging markets to become global brands. As it stands now, there are no African brands in the list (Columbian coffee, Saudi fruit juice, Lebanese chocolate, Chinese wine and Indian liquor). So no tech here then?
Their focus on the East comes from market size – if you are to become a dominant brand you need dominant position in sales and customers – hence India and China. But Africa represents an enormous opportunity of almost 1 billion consumers, with increasing buying power. Not only that, but the “what works in Africa works anywhere” position makes for a hotbed of innovation and new ideas. MXit, the IM platform for mobile, developed in South Africa, is already looking at 17 million registered users across the world.
It will be interesting to see the ensuing battle between established western brands and new names from emerging markets. While everyone seems to be looking East, I’ll have my eyes peeled for the Starbucks of Sub-Saharan Africa or the Rolex of Rwanda.
This year, expanding on a trend we’ve seen in recent years, tech takes precedence. While Microsoft took number one, bumping Google to number three (after Rolex) the order isn’t of so much importance as the volume of IT brands.
The Telegraph quotes Shar VanBoskirk, analyst at Forester: "You may drink a Coca-Cola or Starbucks drink once or twice a day, but most of us interact with Microsoft and Google every hour of our lives. These technology companies have entered into our homes, our offices - even our friendships."
So the question is who or what is next?
The FT raised this question earlier in the week, covering a research report by Wolff Olins, that tipped five food and drink brands from emerging markets to become global brands. As it stands now, there are no African brands in the list (Columbian coffee, Saudi fruit juice, Lebanese chocolate, Chinese wine and Indian liquor). So no tech here then?
Their focus on the East comes from market size – if you are to become a dominant brand you need dominant position in sales and customers – hence India and China. But Africa represents an enormous opportunity of almost 1 billion consumers, with increasing buying power. Not only that, but the “what works in Africa works anywhere” position makes for a hotbed of innovation and new ideas. MXit, the IM platform for mobile, developed in South Africa, is already looking at 17 million registered users across the world.
It will be interesting to see the ensuing battle between established western brands and new names from emerging markets. While everyone seems to be looking East, I’ll have my eyes peeled for the Starbucks of Sub-Saharan Africa or the Rolex of Rwanda.
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