Affinity Publishing launches Brands and Branding 2009

Ken Preston, publisher

Launching Brands and Branding 09 - the encyclopaedia of brands and brandings in South Africa - last night, Wednesday, 28 October 2009, at the Gordon Institute of Business School (GIBS) in Illovo, Johannesburg, publisher Ken Preston said: “Consumer culture, intellectual property law, advertising media and packaging developments have combined to bring us to a moment when brands are the most powerful business idea in the commercial world.

Early days of branding

“The influence that brands exert on consumer behaviour means they have also become part of the social history of the times, reflecting the fashion, art, literature, technology, health, sport and social norms of the day.

“The early days of branding in South Africa date back 200 years to a number of iconic brands that remain very much a part of the branding scene today. Brands like Nederburg, Mrs Ball's and Joko Tea.

“Many others from the 1800s onwards have also stood the test of time and have rich and instructive histories to share.”

The 318-page hard cover book has a compressed picture of well-known brands such as The Mail&Guardian newspaper, All Gold tomato sauce, Koo canned beans, Telkom Charity Cup logo, SAB, Discovery, PnP ground filter Coffee and a DStv remote control.

Preston said that the Brand Museum's modest start-up collection includes an exhibition of branding in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s comprising 300 items from the ‘Mr Miller' FMCG collection, 120 posters and advertisements from the Andy Rice Collection, 30-plus early brand registrations from the Cape Colony in the 1800s - researched with the help of Cipro and including Red Heart Rum 1877, Singer Sewing Machines 1880, Eno's Fruit Salts 1882, Sunlight Soap 1887, MAIZENA 1888, Royal Baking Powder 1888, Bovril 1889 and Roses Lime Juice 1889.

It also includes the fascinating collection of Springbok Radio.co.za brand advertising from the 1950s to the 1970s when the station closed down, and the first TV ads flighted in SA during the 1970s, courtesy of Ornico.

Final selection

Preston also said the final section containing brand profiles and case-studies, focuses on the stories behind the ongoing development and success of nearly 100 leading brands, providing real-life insights into the tough school of brands and branding.

“Joining an established lineup of the country's most successful brands in the book this year are BlackBerry, Braza and Business Connexion, Accor, Ackerman's and Amarelle, Bain's Cape Mountain Whisky, Bearing Man Group and Bizcommunity, Frisco, Goldcrest, Grand-Pa and Kimberly-Clark, Londolozi, Kyocera, Mango, Nando's and Oros, Softline, Pongracz, Lucky Star, Dunlop and Collect-a-Can.”

The book was foreworded by Happy Ntshingila, formerly of IBM, Tiger Brands and Ogilvy & Mather and founder of HerdBuoys Advertising.

Layout was done by Mbongeni Mhlongo, proofreading by Jenna Hills and profile writers include Charmaine Koppehel, Kim Penstone, Lisa Witepski, Lynette Dicey and Samantha Du Chuene.

For more info, go to www.brandsandbranding.co.za and www.thebrandmuseum.co.za.