Win the 2010 FIFA World Cup for Your Brand (III)

Kola Amodu-

Concluding the piece on how brand managers can transform their brands into world beaters by identifying with the FIFA World Cup billed for the Republic of South Africa, later in the year.
2010 FIFA World Cup and Brand Africa
Africa is not just hosting soccer; it is the playing field for global brands as a result of the event. Brand Africa can strategize to maximize the tremendous advantage the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup brings.
This can be achieved under the theme ‘Africa’s time has come; mobilizing for 2010 and beyond’. There should be a strategic focus on how best to take advantage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and project Africa positively to the world well beyond football. As world attention focuses on the first African World Cup, African nations have the floor to tell their own stories.
This event is much more than sports – it is about Africa and Africa’s ability to host the world. It is about getting out from underneath the weight of negative press the continent has been receiving.
FIFA staging the World Cup in Africa is a strong signal of confidence and the expectation the world has of Africa. It is an example of when sport is larger and more powerful than a game. One will want to believe that the event can be catalytic in setting the continent and the brands identified with it on the right track and into the next stage of growth.
From a national branding perspective, South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup is well-timed. Coming on the heels of a strong leadership crisis in the country, it offers her the opportunity to refute international misconceptions. To take a cue from Melissa Davis, Director, True branding, a UK based consultancy on brand strategy, South Africa has the opportunity to confront misleading perceptions about Africa as a continent, by opening people’s eyes to the rich culture of the African continent while celebrating its own.
To date, the most memorable international sporting event for South Africa was the Rugby World Cup in 1995 that followed Mandela’s election as leader. While this is a hard act to follow, the 2010 FIFA World Cup could tap into that history to show that the ‘Rainbow Nation’ proclaimed by Mandela in 1994 is still a possibility, a growing reality. The key is to ensure a positive transformation beyond hosting the tournament, evidence that Africa has come of age. Like they say in South Africa, ‘Ke nako: Celebrate Africa’s humanity’.
The year of the Continent
Branding the continent is not solely a task for the public sector, but a collaborative undertaking of the continent’s stakeholders to visualize and actualize with tools and equipment within and without. The assumed partnership task will then be to devise a joined-up brand strategy, as well as shared implementation plans that will ensure that countries, nations and establishments in the continent will exhibit on brand behavior.
Perceptions need to start changing about Africa, moving away from the charity image to its various cultures and economic strengths, highlighting positive stories.
Between 2009 and 2010, Africa would have played host to four major global soccer events. Namely, the FIFA Confederations Cup, South Africa; FIFA U-21 World Cup, Egypt; the U-17 World Cup, Nigeria; and the much anticipated FIFA 2010 World Cup. In all the host countries but Nigeria, it is a redefinition of the purpose of those countries and an assurance that the world learns about them for right and compelling reasons. This ‘brand equity’ is what sustains the community, attracts and retains people, businesses, events, visitors and institutions that countries need for growth and prosperity. These range from urban regeneration projects, urban districts, cities and countries to supra-national regions as substantially demonstrated by Egypt and South Africa.
The study curve for Africa leadership, people and its businesses shows that the intensity of globalization has not only increased competition among countries for attention, influence, markets, investments, businesses, visitors, residents, talent and events, but is now half way round the world as exhibited by the turbo-charged Asians in the last ten years – a continental shift. The 2008 Beijing Olympics and FIFA Korea-Japan 2006 have taught that while hosting, reasoning and activities should be based on a solid business plan.
The South Africa 2010 World Cup is given for the African continent not to get caught off-guard, but to shift into gear in brand positioning for historic purpose and competitive edge, be it economic, social or cultural. In the euphoria of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the success of creating and consolidating the African brand should be comprehensive and people-centric, which rolls together both the tangibles and intangibles and highlights the touch-and-feel components of positive continent brand.