media m
on
Publicity
UPDATE
Expose. Educate. Empower.
PUBLICITY NEWS
G i l l i a n G a m s y
International (GGi) has
launched a new company,
Vertigo Communications, to
handle technology and
consumer technology PR for its local and global client
base. Lynne Newnham-Forbes and James Wilson, ex-
leadership of Kilimanjaro Communications, head the
new agency up. “Vertigo expands our offering
considerably. Forbes and Wilson are both well-
Lhere
respected and have excellent track records in the
technology and consumer tech arena. The two of
them are passionate, creative, innovative, flexible
and results driven, traits that GGi is well known for.
We have always believed in adding value to the
bottom line of our clients,” says Gillian Gamsy, CEO of
the GGi Group. GGi is an affiliate of international PR
leader Weber Shandwick, and has been in existence
for 25 years. GGi has several specialist practice areas
including corporate communication, digital
communication, crisis communications, health,
tourism and travel. ClickLhere
here for more.
L a u r a B o o n
Communications offers
advice on how to obtain and
keep customers by using PR, as
well as tips on how to gain new
customers, in its free monthly newsletter, PR for
Professionals. According to PR for Professionals,
Public relations (PR) is a powerful marketing tool that
you can use to promote your products or services.
The aim of PR is to provide information to your
customers, and the primary channel for PR is the
media: newspapers, magazines, trade journals, radio
chat shows, and television talk shows. PR is the most
cost-effective method available, especially for small-
to-medium sized businesses that have to break
through the clutter and create awareness for your
product or service. ClickLhere
here for more.
Anglo Platinum, the world`s
leading platinum producer,
has commissioned Mamba
Media to communicate the
importance of safety on the mines
through its unique cartoon format
medium. The two-part cartoon
story will be executed across all
Anglo Platinum’s advertising
mediums until 31 December. The
objective of the six month
campaign is to make the Anglo
Fatal Risk Standards, and later the Values and Culture
project material, easier for the workforce to digest.
ClickLhere
here for more.
newsclip
itoring
managing media intelligently
August 2008
Wwww.publicityupdate.co.za
The IABC Pretoria Buzz took
place at Schoongesight
Guest House in Waterkloof on
Friday, 22 August, from 07:30
for 08:00 until 11:00. The IABC
Pretoria Buzz included
breakfast, networking and great discussions among
industry peers. The session covered the IABC Pretoria
Annual General Meeting; a presentation by Harry
Dugmore; and tips, tools and lessons learned at the
IABC International Conference in New York. Click
here for more on guest speaker, Harry Dugmore.
T h e L i v e w i r e d
Communications Cape
Town team participated in the
10km Bonita's Women's Day
Challenge, which was held at the
Bellville Velodrome. "I believe
that a healthy body houses a
healthy mind. I motivate my
team to have an active lifestyle
as this leads to positive
outcomes in all areas in your life.
The greatest thing about taking
part in such events is that it
builds team spirit while supporting local charities,"
says Nadia Swift, MD of Livewired Communications
Cape Town. “The team finished the race in 81 minutes
and want to improve on our time next year, but I think
we all did very well!” For more information, visit the
Livewired website.
The most recent PRISA CPD
course was titled Effective
S t ra t e g i c P u b l i c Re l a t i o n s
Planning. The two day course ran
over 26 and 27 August, and
earned attendees 15 CPD points.
The fee included tuition, practical
exercises, notes, certificate of attendance and meals.
The CPD programme dealt with strategic issues
associated with public relations planning, and
covered business environmental monitoring, analysis
and evaluation, as well as SWOT and force field
analysis. It also reviewed organisation vision,
mission, objects and the public relations planning
process. The planning process session covered the
audit, objectives, messaging, Web 2.0, media and
channels, budgeting and evaluation. For information
on upcoming Continuing Professional Development
courses, visitLwww.prisa.co.za
www.prisa.co.za.
PRISA recently announced the keynote speakers
for its upcoming conference, which will take place
on 15 and 16 September at Montecasino, focusing on
“Communication - the sixth sense.” ClickLherehere for
more on the speakers and their topics.
1

A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative
‘The Sixth Sense’, the PRISA
2008 Annual National
Conference, takes place on 15
and 16 September at
Montecasino in Johannesburg.
The new revised programme
features new speakers and topics
on current issues, including freedom of speech, social
media, transformation and the new public diplomacy.
The conference will celebrate the paradigm shifts in
thinking and communication. PRISA’s objective is to
establish what breakthroughs are looming and how to
position communication practices for tomorrow. The
conference will bring together executive and senior
communication practitioners, consultants and
educators, providing a unique networking
o p p o r t u n i ty f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l s w i t h i n t h e
communication industry. To view the revised
programme, clickLhere here.
Government's
tardy response to
managing the
xenophobic violence
and the resulting
media backlash
should be a lesson to corporate SA about how
ineffective stakeholder management - often seen as
a non-core management function - could tarnish an
organisation's reputation. This was confirmed when
influential international media, including Reuters,
CNN, BBC, AFP and Al Jazeera criticised spokespeople
from Government Communication and Information
Services, GCIS, at the recent International Media
Forum held in Bryanston, for not being available for
comment on a wide range of issues such as Eskom,
health legislation, Zimbabwe and the economic
outlook. ClickLhere
here for more.
A unique partnership between
HWB Communications and
Erica Meles Public Relations will
allow the agencies to exchange
professional expertise, benefiting
their clients. Erica Liebenberg of
Erica Meles Public Relations, based in
the Winelands outside of Cape Town
said, “I am thrilled to be joining
forces with an agency of the calibre of HWB. I see the
alliance as a value-added offering to our current
clients and an incentive for those who may be seeking
to outsource communications”. ClickLhere
here for more.
Publicity
UPDATE
The dates for IABC's
2009 World Conference
have been changed to 7 to 10
June. The change was
prompted by a generous
offer to IABC by the San
Francisco Marriott hotel,
which will help offset budget increases and keep costs
competitive. IABC is also rebranding its international
conference to The IABC World Conference to better
reflect the programme's global emphasis. The World
Conference programme and registration will be
online in December with the lowest registration rates
offered through to 31 January 2009.
The IABC's chair, Barbara Gibson, has launched a
new blog, titled "Connecting the I's: The
unofficial, uncensored, unpretentious blog for my
year as Chair of IABC". The IABC has also launched a
Facebook group, which already has over 1 000
members in just one month. This is yet another way
for communicators to connect with current and
prospective IABC members through social media.
Visit the blog at Lbarbgibson.x.iabc.com
barbgibson.x.iabc.com or the
group.
FacebookLgroup
Many organisations
in South Africa still
face the challenges of
undergoing social
transformation. Disparate groups of people with
different cultural backgrounds are required to work
together in an environment with strict policies and
structures that do not accommodate their needs,
values and beliefs. These policies and structures
often restrict open communication, creative
thinking and innovation. Today, organisations are
changing their mindsets and are urging staff to
show their character and make a long lasting
contribution within a team, rather than only
concentrating on the pursuit of prestige. Teams
within a PR company that operate in this way are
more likely to generate innovative solutions and
achieve success. According to HMC Seswa’s Managing
Director, Jane Weaver; “HMC Seswa’s values
include respect, passion, integrity and energy.
Maintaining this value system results in an
appreciation of each individual’s role within the
team. Weaver elaborates: “Open communication
establishes a sense of direction with a clear
purpose,” ClickLhere
here for more.
Newsclip Media
Monitoring - managing
media intelligently.
Media Publicity
UPDATE UPDATE
For your For your For your ad &
media news... publicity news... marketing news
2

A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative
NEW ACCOUNTS
C a p e To w n -
based PR
a g e n c y ,
liquidlingo
Communications
has been appointed to manage the PR and publicity
portfolio for RED property development group.
Recently launched, the red-hot property group is
blazing a trail on the local and international scene –
promoting green and innovative designs that work for
the customer. Paul Simpson, MD of RED Development
says: “RED differentiates itself among competitors
through the practice of high standards; whether it’s
our team of expertise, creative design, sustainable
practice and now our choice of PR agency. It’s evident
that liquidlingo Communications is on a par with
international standards and aligns itself with high-
end brands, making us extremely proud to be
associated with them”. liquidlingo Communications is
a dynamic public relations company started by Jackie
Busch and Gail Garratt in 2004. Within four short
years they have proven their passion for smart
communication and their vision of working
seamlessly with international and national clients.
ClickLhere
here for more.
Marcus Brewster
Publicity (MBP) has
been contracted by
Radisson SAS Hotel
Sandton for the five star
hotel’s corporate, brand and
sales PR requirements. The
hotel opens on Rivonia
Road, part of Africa’s
wealthiest square mile, in December this year.
“Launching a prestigious hotel requires both
specialist and strategic knowledge,” says Radisson
SAS Sandton GM, Maarten van den Nieuwenhuisjen.
“In addition to our ATL and direct marketing
initiatives, we are determined to put PR in the centre
of the communications mix to deliver maximum sales
benefits. The new Radisson SAS Hotel Sandton will
redefine excellence in a competitive industry, and
Brewster is able to utilise his Public Relations
expertise to take that message to market.” The new
Radisson SAS Sandton will comprise 290 rooms,
which include 45 business class rooms, 32 suites and
1 luxury suite. All guest rooms offer flat screen LCD
televisions and complimentary wireless internet
access. Vivace, the contemporary Italian restaurant
and cocktail bar, serves exciting and innovative
cuisine. The Hotel has eight exclusive meeting and
conference rooms. Luxury is taken to new levels with
the inclusion of the new Platinum Planet Fitness gym
and a wellness spa. ClickLhere
here for more.
Newsclip Media
Monitoring - your total
media monitoring
solution...
Publicity
UPDATE
Sieff Optometrists was so
impressed with the return-on-
marketing-investment from
Guerrilla Marketing, that it has
reappointed the company for
another 12 months. Sieff
confirmed its trust in the Guerrilla
brand by appointing Guerrilla PR
and Guerrilla Interactive for its
publicity, website and online
marketing. Sieff Optometrists is a proudly South
African brand with a branch in Pretoria, and also
offers mobile optometric services and financing. For
more information on Guerrilla PR, visit
Lwww.guerillamarketing.co.za
www.guerillamarketing.co.za.
Tiens Southern Africa
recently appointed
Platinum Public Relations as
its public relations agency, to
launch the first-ever banner
store in Southern Africa. The Tiens Banner Store
opened in Africa on Friday, 18 July in Randburg,
Johannesburg. Nevasha Naidoo, Director of Platinum
Public Relations, claimed that Platinum Public
Relations was privileged to have won this account. “It
was great working with the Chinese delegation. The
Chinese people are very hard workers and we as
South Africans can learn so much from them. We
were excited to have been affiliated with a multi-
national brand like Tiens. Our strategic media
solutions has proven successful, thus it has placed
Tiens Southern Africa in a favourable light, and set
them on a good footing in South Africa,” concluded
Naidoo. ClickLhere
here for more.
Sanyo, the Japanese
manufacturing giant, has
a p p o i n t e d P U R E
Communications as its
public relations agency of record. Sanyo is recognised
worldwide as a great technology innovator, and will
be relaunching its brand in South Africa in September.
Sanyo offers a diverse line of products, including:
solar panels and systems; waterproof video cameras;
and an environmentally friendly line of batteries
called Eneloop. Chantelle Stoffberg, Sanyo`s
marketing manager, said, "We are reintroducing the
Sanyo brand to South African consumers to mark the
company as a leading provider in technology and
energy... products that enhance our customers’ lives
while protecting the planet”. ClickLhere
here for more.
National PR
agency, Eclipse
Public Relations, has
announced that it has
secured five new key
accounts across its growing portfolio. The new
business includes: Planet Fitness; Sasko; Duracell;
Dave Harris Properties; and award-winning
advertising agency, FoxP2. According to Eclipse
Public Relations Business Director Johannesburg,
Jeanné Poultney, the current economic climate -
highlighted by marketing budget cuts - has not
restricted the agency’s growth. “A lot of PR-savvy
marketing managers are now realising the potential
and resulting return on investment of tactical public
relations as a key driver of their above-the-line
campaigns”. ClickLhere
here for more.
3
 Publicity
A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative UPDATE

C a p e To w n - b a s e d After having
Celebrity Services successfully
Africa's PR division was implemented PR
appointed to launch campaigns for the
Childsafe during the Child Cape and Garden Route Homemakers Expos, Purple
Safety Month of August. Pine PR has been appointed to represent
Childsafe, the new brand Homemakers nationally – incorporating seven
image for the Child additional expos in various regions throughout South
Accident Prevention Africa. Homemakers is South Africa’s biggest home
Foundation of South Africa, enhancement exhibition group and since its inception
is the country's largest advocacy group for child 16 years ago, has proved to be the country’s premier
accident prevention. To expand on Childsafe's home lifestyle event. The national group presents
premise, CSA is undertaking a national media home lifestyle shows annually in Johannesburg, Cape
campaign through interviews in electronic media and Town, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Vaal Triangle
features in magazines and press as well as and Garden Route. ClickLhere
here for more.
educational pieces on child safety in and out of the
home. ClickLhere
here for more. Urban Luxury Brands, a retail
and wholesale distribution
Splash PR has company in the footwear,
recently gained the accessories and apparel
following new accounts: industries, has appointed
Marcus Brewster Publicity for
•Diemersfontein Wine and the launch of three iconic global
Country Estate in Wellington. The Estate is best fashion phenomena, Baby Phat, Phat Farm and JLO
known for producing the original chocolate and coffee by Jennifer Lopez. Baby Phat is an urban luxury
Pinotage and as a popular wedding venue. fashion line of clothing for women and girls designed
•The Baileys Fashion Weekend: Part of the finale to by Kimora Lee Simmons. Corporate sibling Phat Farm
the Virgin Mobile Cape Town Fashion Week, The is an aspirational lifestyle brand for men and boys
Baileys Fashion Weekend which ran from Saturday, emulating the fashion trends from the street. JLO by
16 August to Sunday, 17 August at The Runway in Jennifer Lopez Accessories encompasses a range of
here for more.
Woodstock. ClickLhere jewellery and handbags from the superstar singer,
actress, business woman and style icon. ClickLhere
here
Consistently raising for more.
the benchmark for
outstanding products PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
within the tourism sector,
Southern Spoor Redline Cape Town has announced the appointment
Marketing, specialists in marketing services for the of Wendy van Schalkwyk as Account Director for the
tourism and hospitality industry, has announced the financial team. Her appointment is effective as of 1
newest additions to its fold of unique South African August. ClickLhere
here for more.
products: Shumbalala Game Lodge and Franschhoek
Country House & Villas. Both have accepted full
marketing and PR service agreements, incorporating
local and international travel trade and consumer
here for more.
awareness. ClickLhere

Cape Town-based
boutique PR
agency, The P.R
Team has been
appointed to manage the PR and publicity portfolio
for the following clients:

•5-star Hotel Izulu - a member of the prestigious

Relais & Chateaux Association;
•BLEND Eventlife – 'Spirited Staff & Bars'; and
•New Kings Hotel, which opens in October.
Fivestar PR has
been appointed to
manage the PR
requirements of
Steenberg Vineyards, which is rated as one of the top
white wine cellars in South Africa. Established in
1682 by the legendary ‘Widow Ras’, Steenberg is the
oldest farm in the Constantia Valley. Today,
Steenberg Vineyards is owned by Graham Beck and
produces over 50 000 cases of wine each year. A
recent accolade of the vineyard is the award of five
stars in Platters’ Guide 2008, for the maiden vintage
of its Magna Carta. ClickLhere
here for more.
4
 Publicity
UPDATE
A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative

EDITOR’S CORNER: Our changing world
Over the past few of months we have written at
length about the media landscape in South Africa
and have commented on many of its interesting
dynamics in our changing world. Recently, we have
been speaking to large groups of communications
and media professionals around the country,
stressing the importance of increase in share of
voice during trying macro-economic times, and the
importance of seeking creative and innovative
engagement opportunities to connect with
audiences.
As a result of the feedback I have received from our
talks in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town, I felt it
appropriate to highlight and consolidate some of
the key points we have been highlighting.
The fact of the matter is that our traditional media
landscape is affected by two major forces at the
moment - the macro-economic conditions, and the
new media opportunities that are constantly
developing.
From an economics point of view, consumers are
under immense pressure - and will continue to be
for the next 18 months or so. As people’s priorities,
lifestyles and needs change, so will their
behavioural patterns in general, which will impact
on their media consumption, among the many
other variables.
This brings us to the reality of changing newsrooms-
something that public relations practitioners need to
be aware of, as it will change the questions they ask
that determine the communication channels they
have available to them.
The new era journalists are not bound by traditional
thinking. Journalism was an art 30 years ago, when a
person would study media and then enter into a niche
in journalism.
Today, a journalist has to multi-task across a range of
media platforms and adjust their style from one
platform to the next. They may have to carry a blog,
where they informally chat about their experiences in
gathering the news; they could then log on to twitter
and write short news bursts about live developments;
then film and photograph the event on their
cellphones; before returning home and writing a
traditional news story on their laptops and submitting
it to their sub-editor. This footage may then be
compiled into a voicer that is MMSed to subscribers
who want news on the move.
The point is, no matter how far fetched some of this
may sound, communicators working in the industry
must follow these trends and identify which media
are early adopters, as they will be the ones who use
the new media content first.
And make no mistake - this is not a dream. To many,
especially in the US and western Europe, this is a
reality.

As advertising trends change, so does editorial

For more on these stories, please visit our website
content. The common thread that unites the forms
www.publicityupdate.co.za, and subscribe to
AtLwww.publicityupdate.co.za
of advertiser-to-consumer relations is the manner
Our weekly Publicity Update newsletter!
in which the consumer chooses to engage with the
message. Advertisers no longer have the luxury of
assuming that each message will be heard.
Consumers now have the choice, and can choose to
allow an advertiser to communicate with them or
not. The same applies to the editorial content that
public relations agencies are producing - they need
to carry content that will be of interest to
consumers in the niche market they are targeting,
beyond simply carrying words. There must be
something more to it - something that a consumer
can relate to.

Changing media

As consumption patterns change, so are the media

that are carrying the content. We have spoken
about digital publishing and the e-zines that
consumers are reading; but as communication
becomes increasingly mobile, so will the content. A
traditional vodcast that was streamed via a website
as an additional avenue of carrying audio-visual
content is now becoming compressed and sent as
an MMS to a cellphone - giving new meaning to
news on the go, mobile news, or mobile journalists,
for example.

After all, if we as consumers choose to consume

content that is mobile and immediate, so journalists
need to produce the content in that fashion.
5

A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative
EDITOR’S CORNER:
Effective Communication during a recession
Communicating effectively with the media is
important at the best of times; and even more so
during a recession, when you want your brand to
have a significant share of voice. The media
landscape changes when times are tough - we see
cannibalisation, a slight decline in circulation (based
on figures from the ABCs), and brands scrambling to
build their brand and connect with consumers. “The
time is now to build share of voice where one can”,
said Newsclip's Publications and Media Manager,
Daniel Munslow, at the company's recent talk to a
Cape Town media audience.
“As communicators who need to convey key
messages about their products to the right target
audiences, it is time to identify non-mainstream
media that may not meet the usual high reach and
frequency criteria”, says Munslow.
The time to use 'engagement opportunities' to
identify new vehicles to reach target audiences has
never been more important. After all, the key to the
survival of a business during these trying times is its
ability to build share of voice, and consequently,
market share.
Engagement opportunities refer to a system that
categorises and then catalogues the media based on
its salient content. Every publication has a core focus,
such as movies; entertainment; relationships;
health; etc; but they also make mention of other
topics that may not be their primary content.
Farmers' Weekly, for example, is focused on
agriculture and farming. But it also carries diverse
content that ranges from lifestyle and motoring to
finance and investment. It may not usually be a
primary focus for banking institutions, but could be
an avenue to build a greater share of voice.
Another good example of this way of thinking is the
use of community newspapers to reach people whose
lives are affected in a given region. The recent
Compass24 survey of the Media24 community
papers offers some credence to this statement.
Over 75% of all community newspaper readers use
the publications to make purchase decisions and
consciously survey their surroundings. In a time of
economic tightening, interest rate increases, and
soaring petrol and diesel costs, it is natural for people
to take a greater interest in what is around them and
think local rather than national or global.
“To make this even more complex, these trying
economic times are compounded by an era that is
seeing consumers moving away from traditional
forms of advertising towards new media
technologies, social networking, experiential
marketing and others”, says Munslow. It is down to
communicators to find ways of 'getting people to love
the brand' and connect with specific products. When
all is said and done - that is what it's about. You need
to get people to love and connect with your brand to
make it top of mind; and with so many things for
people to worry about at this present moment, if you
are not top of mind, you are out of sight.
Lmarketing@newsclip.co.za
Publicity
UPDATE
Increasing share of voice can be challenging, and
creative marketing opportunities need to be
identified. Recently, in an article on sister publication
totallyMAd, Gary Nelson, CEO of Primedia Face 2
Face said, “This is the time to cement brand loyalty
with the mass consumer market. Getting buy-in to
brands by displaying awareness of consumer's needs
and continued interaction during an economic
downturn will make sure that a brand is top of mind
during the downturn and actively embraced in an up
turn. A cost effective and highly visible approach, for
example, is through Community Events Marketing
whereby brands gain exposure at weddings, sports
events and other community ceremonies”.
And indeed, this is a question that not only
communicators are asking, but also advertisers and
marketers as far afield as the 2008 Beijing Olympics
in China. Top brands have spent hundreds of millions
of US dollars buying the rights to sponsor the
Olympics, and only to end up with a very confused
public who doesn’t know if adidas or Nike; or Coke or
Pepsi are the main sponsors. Despite this, it could be
argued that they are simply there to increase share
of voice, and whether identified as title sponsors or
not, their voices are being heard.
We will tackle the issue of sponsorship at the 2008
Beijing Olympics in next week’s totallyMAd.
EDITOR’S CORNER: The move to trend-based
analysis
The issue of measurement of media exposure is a topical
one in the industry. During a recent talk held by Newsclip
Media Monitoring, the company noted that while
measurement is important, it is measurement over time
as trend-based analysis that should take centre-stage.
There are several reasons for this. Firstly, in order to
understand a company's profile in the media, one needs
detailed information over a particular time delineation
to identify which media chose to cover a specific event.
Secondly, analysis needs to be 'living' and updated
regularly; and thirdly, it is imperative that as and when a
company receives media exposure, all its data over time
(averages, sums, totals, graphic patterns, etc) are
updated live. This gives one a true representation of its
media profile. The purpose of media evaluation is to
provide communicators with the specialised tools they
need to graphically display the meaning of their data in a
real-time environment. Daniel Munslow, Newsclip's
Publications and Media Manager said during the
presentation that, “Good strategic management of
corporate and marketing communication requires clear
vision, planning and review. Effective communication
for business is now essential in a world of increasing
managerial accountability, new media development and
stakeholder demand. The challenge is to demonstrate
effectiveness and to better inform management
decision making. Good management requires good
measurement.” Through an understanding of the media
and media profiles generated from exposure, a
company gains further exposure. This means that
resources can be better allocated to deliver the greatest
effect for the success of the company/ organisation/
product/ brand. This is based on reaching the correct
target market - something that is determined in
advance at the strategic stage, and understood through
trend-based analysis.
For more information on media analysis, please visit the
Newsclip website, or send an email to
marketing@newsclip.co.za.
6

A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative
2010 National Communication Partnership
Conference
"Africa's time has come - mobilising for 2010
and beyond”
By Pat McClelland
On 29 July, over 500 delegates
attended the first day of the
third 2010 National
Communication Partnership
(NCP) at the Sandton
Convention Centre in
Johannesburg. The conference
aimed to give African
communicators the chance to
exchange ideas and practical suggestions on how to
project a positive image and reputation of Africa to
the world through the many opportunities made
possible by the FIFA Football World cup in 2010.
An African World Cup
The conference kicked off with a welcome address
from Moeketsi Mosolo, acting CEO of The
International Marketing Committee (IMC),
custodian of Brand South Africa. Mosolo explained
that when South Africa won the bid to host the 2010
World Cup, great emphasis was placed on its
significance to the continent as a whole and its
potential to enrich the lives of all Africans - an event
destined to shape the perception of the continent
for years to come. Mosolo mentioned the strong
representation at the conference of other African
countries, and went on to say that just as the
German World Cup profoundly affected global
perceptions of surrounding European nations, 2010
holds great significance for surrounding African
countries and the continent as a whole. He said all
aspects of South Africa will come under intense
scrutiny and the microscope of international media,
and suggested that this is our chance, as
communicators, to speak for ourselves, and not be
spoken for.
Media must exhibit independence of mind
Essop Pahad began his address by referring to the
slogan of the 2010 World Cup Ke Nako (It's time),
Celebrate Africa's Humanity. He reiterated Mosolo's
words, saying that from the onset it has been made
clear that we will be hosting an African World Cup
and not just a South African World Cup.
Pahad pointed out that the 'stare' of the world will
intensify after the Beijing Olympics, and that the
world's gaze will provide us with the opportunity to
demonstrate the positive social and economic
development of our people, our country and our
continent. Yet, he went on to explain that this does
not mean we need only accentuate the positive - it
is also necessary to communicate our
shortcomings. Pahad asked communicators to
remember, “The event is bigger than the moment”,
and that its impact will stretch well into the twenty-
first century.
Publicity
UPDATE
Communicators and the media must ask
themselves what their role is, and “whether they
have the capacity and independence of mind to
question news items about our state of readiness
from abroad”. Pahad said this is a key question -
whether the media have the ability and self-
confidence to point out the stories that are factually
incorrect or biased. These stories, he continues,
have and will continue to emerge in international
media in months to come. In light of the media's
ability to shape perception, he asked that the
media be critical, rather than merely parroting
these reports.
Pahad explained how South Africa is cementing
partnerships at a number of levels to ensure a
successful event- with African countries; with
domestic and national sponsors; with media and
marketing agencies; and with the people of South
Africa. With regard to the 'partnership with the
people', Pahad suggested that communicators
need to prepare all people to act as ambassadors,
as the ordinary man in the street may well be the
first impression that tourists get of the country.
Their impressions are intricately linked to the
broader agenda of South Africa and Africa.
The unifying power of football
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr
Irvin Khoza, quoted a recent TNS Survey that had
been published, which stated that there has been
an increase in pessimism among South Africans
regarding 2010 readiness. He quotes the closing
remark of the survey: “Bear in mind that good
communication about the event is necessary to
rekindle the optimism we had a year ago”.
Football, he said, has a unifying
power greater than any other
sport or event in the world - its
demographic reach transcends
race, class, age, and gender.
Although sport was invented as a
means to while away time and
was seen as destructive to
productivity, it has evolved to become a unifying
force, as well as one that is seen as economically
constructive. While each nation places more
emphasis on certain sports and almost none on
others football is the exception, universally
accepted as a 'beautiful game'.
Khoza emphasised the need for South Africa to
stage a tournament that truly brings the world
together for 30 days, and to create a positive
perception of our country and the 2010 World Cup.
After all, he said, perception is reality: it doesn't
matter how good a product is unless the market
perceives it as something worth buying. Football
itself has changed the way it is perceived - once
seen as a sport of hooligans, FIFA struggled to find
countries willing to host the World Cup… now, after
changing its perception, no other sport can
compete with this perception- that football, more
than any other sport, has the ability to transform
the world and be a source of good.
7

A Newsclip Media Monitoring Initiative
Media must not fuel dangerous expectations
City Press editor, Khatu Mamaila, observed that
many reports he has read fall into one of two
camps: either blind optimism or extreme
pessimism. According to Mamaila, there is an
abundance of theories circulating about how the
World Cup is going to be taken away from South
Africa.
Mamaila also highlighted a trend that he says the
media needs to take responsibility for: what he sees
as a 'dangerous obsession with 2010' among some
groups. He says that the media needs to help the
public deal with unrealistic expectations of 2010.
Some people, he says, have been made to believe
that spending their pension money on building a
B&B will prove profitable and that they should take
advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -
but, Mamaila asks, what will happen to these people
when the World Cup has come and gone?
Mamaila also refers to statements that have been
made such as 'Crime will have a negative affect on
2010' - as if crime is tolerable for South Africans
but not for foreigners; or 'Eskom must resolve the
electricity crisis before 2010' as if we can go
without electricity but just not for two months in
2010. The same, he says, goes for statements
about the state of transport, and restaurant and
accommodation standards. The media needs to find
creative ways of finding a balance in the way it
reports on 2010. This should include positivity
about the event, but it should also perceive the
country and its citizens as independent of 2010.
Mamaila concludes that it is the media's duty to hold
power accountable and defend the weak against the
powerful in the 2010 context.
Nation branding in the 21st century
Dr Nikolaus Eberl, brand
historian and author of
BrandOvation and A
Hero's Journey, is
currently engaged in the
international branding of
the 2010 World Cup.
According to him, “Nation
branding in the 21st
century is as much a
function of the country's
external reputation as its
internal cohesion”. Eberl
says the 2006 FIFA World
Cup transformed the brand image of Germany from
the archetype of the Fuhrer (effective; efficient;
unfriendly; conservative), to the archetype of the
lover (friendly; welcoming).
He says that in 2004, the German nation was
described by its own president as a nation entering
'collective depression'. The country was
experiencing what the media termed the
'konsumverweigerung' phenomenon (refusal to
consume); record unemployment; and
xenophobia.
Publicity
UPDATE
After the World Cup in 2006, Germany had jumped to
the second spot on the Nation Brand Index;
consumer confidence is at a 27-year high;
unemployment has dropped by 29%; and record
tourism bookings and exports are being experienced
in what economists are referring to as
'Wirtschaftwunder 2.0' (The Second Economic
Miracle). The country is on a high - nine or ten
months after the World Cup, it even experienced a
baby boom! This transformation was a result of
Germany changing its brand image, as well as a
demonstration of the pure power of soccer.
So, how do you transform 82 million people from
grumpy to friendly in just 32 days? According to
Eberl, the transformation of Germany's branding
fortunes was due to a psychological phenomenon
seen through the history of mankind, called “The
Heros Journey”. It is the idea that the transformation
of consciousness starts with the assertion of identity.
The journey is based on the notion that if you want to
change an image, you have to change behaviour, and
to change behaviour you need to start with the
people.
Our 'Hero's Journey' to 2010 requires us to look at
the current perception of ourselves as a nation -
according to Eberl, South Africa fits the archetype of
the Orphan (poor, young) - and look to its polar
opposite - that of the Hero, and start by showcasing
the many heroes of our land. This is where the media
and all communicators come into play- discovering
and championing the hidden heros of the nation.
Useful links
•BrandovationLvideo
video
insert
•Carte BlancheLinsert
Lwww.brandsouthafrica.com
•www.brandsouthafrica.com
See you next month.
DANIEL
GET TO KNOW THE TEAM
EDITOR Daniel Munslow
DEPUTY EDITOR Pat McClelland
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Stefanie Jason
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Leigh Andrews
MEDIA RESEARCHER Roane Booth
MARKETING MANAGER Vanessa Evans
Publicity Update is published by Newsclip.
Daniel is a member of the Public Relations Institute of
Sou t he r n Af ric a ( PRI SA), t he Publ ic Rel ation s
Consultancy Chapter (PRCC) and the International
Association of Business Communicators.
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