Communicating the 2010 FIFA World Cup

According to Margaret Dingalo of the International Marketing Council of South Africa, “The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa will provide Africa a global stage with over 10 billion eyes and ears. The 43 days of the World Cup have the potential to completely change the perceptions about our continent.”

But challenging existing perceptions and communicating a uniquely African vision of the continent is no easy task. This role falls on the 2010 National Communication Partnership (NCP).

The 2010 National Communication Partnership is a joint effort of communicators in both the public and private sectors. Key players include FIFA, the Local Organising Committee (LOC), the Government Communication and Information Service (GCIS), SA Tourism and the International Marketing Council (IMC).

The role of the National Communication Partnership is to facilitate a well co-ordinated marketing and communication campaign in the build-up to 2010 and beyond. The first challenge is to ensure that there is a solid platform for interacting with marketers and communicators themselves.

The 2010 Desktop Communicator

A desktop communicator is an extremely powerful communication tool, especially when the intended audience is geographically dispersed and spans a range of sectors and industries. A desktop communicator can be used to distribute a wide range of content and functionality, and ensures timeous, impactful communication. In addition, a desktop communicator bypasses the pitfalls of email and internet communication and significantly increases the impact of the message.

The 2010 Communicator includes news and events, pictures, a library of resources, information about the stadiums and host cities, a list of contacts and a whole lot more. Content is automated “pushed” to users as it becomes available. No additional action is required on their part.

News is sourced from the International Marketing Council, SA Good News, the Government Communication and Information Services and FIFA. Additional feeds will be added in the near future.

The events are also sourced from a number of different places, including SA Tourism. Upcoming events are displayed on the front page of the Communicator, and users can explore the calendar for a full listing of events leading right up to the 2010 tournament.

Another key feature of the 2010 Communicator is the Library, a growing list of resources for media and marketing professionals involved in 2010. New documents are continuously being added.

The Communicator also includes an overview of the National Communication Partnership and the Local Organising Committee, as well as a list of key contacts and their contact details for quick and easy reference.

The 2010 Communicator is a working tool, and will evolve and grow along with the communication requirements of the partnership. The 2010 Communicator aims to become the definite source for all 2010 related information.