Prelim draw highlights 2010 branding, logos

Thursday 22 November saw the official launch of the emblem for the FIFA Confederations Cup, set to take place in South Africa in 2009, just one year ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The official poster for the world cup will be unveiled today, Friday, at the Nkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) Durban. The ICC has been set as the nerve centre for all the events linked to the Preliminary Draw.

Branded bright orange

As well as branding the products and events, Durban itself is branded bright orange with FIFA posters on streetlights leading incoming delegates and media from the international airport right into the heart of the city and towards the ICC.

As one of the nine host cities across the country for the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Durban has its own branding and digital identity which features the official FIFA insignia.

The province of KwaZulu-Natal has also developed a logo and new branding to position itself as a world-class tourism destination and thus make the most of the expected influx of tourists for the soccer events.

However, the province's branding may not and does not feature FIFA insignia, as the endeavour to boost tourism in KwaZulu-Natal is not a FIFA-mandated project.

Addressing reporters at the Preliminary Draw's first media briefing on Thursday, Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan, reminded all present that hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup would be used to positively brand South Africa and the continent, to the rest of the world.

Official operator

Regarding branding in terms of retail and clothing, Edgars Consolidated Stores has been appointed the official operator for the 2010 FIFA World Cup stores in South Africa, FIFA announced on Wednesday.

The official event stores will be in 160 branches of Edgars throughout the country, with the first shop scheduled to open later in November to coincide with Sunday's preliminary draw on Sunday, reports Southafrica.info.

Another 10 will follow on 26 November countrywide in South Africa.

The agreement also includes the right to produce official licensed merchandise for the event and will act on behalf of FIFA's master licensee Global Brands.

"The shops offer FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) a great opportunity to reach out to football fans across the length and breadth of the host country," said FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke.

Jordaan is among those who congratulated Edgars on securing the deal.

Role of fan shops

FIFA said the success of the event stores underlined the increasingly important role that fan shops played as local centres of attraction.

The most popular products are traditionally T-shirts, scarves, badges, pens, cups, caps and figures of the official mascot.

Steve Ross, CEO of Edcon, said the company was proud to be associated with the "biggest sporting event in African history to date".

Article published courtesy of BuaNews