Design Indaba adds to economic impact

20 Jan 2011

Reviewing the economic impact of the 2010 Design Indaba Expo on the GDP, Barry Standish of the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business calculated that its overall calculation of R232 million comprises accommodation, travel, meals, souvenirs and consumer durables, with the bulk from business orders at the expo of R123 million. These orders stemmed from 427 registered buyers of which 113 were international.

The show also has a significant impact on business-to-business and SMME development, which both directly and indirectly impact on household incomes and job creation. Some 500 direct and 450 indirect jobs were created around the Design Indaba event.

Aside from the tangible impact on exports that exhibitor sales speak of, the media impact of the attests to a bigger message being shared around the world. Over R10-million worth of advertising and R17-million worth of PR for the conference and expo turned South African design into a R27-million message.

Local media such as Mail&Guardian, Advantage, BizCommunity, Mahala, House and Leisure, VISI, Elle Decoration, One Small Seed, Art South Africa and The Property Magazine all support Design Indaba. Meanwhile international publications such as Axis, IdN, +81, DAMn, Icon, Novum, ARTRAVEL and Creative Review take the message global.

International exposure

Many designers' brands have benefited from the show's exposure, such as Heath Nash, Haldane Martin, Stiaan Louw, Andile Dyalvane and Stoned Cherrie. New exhibitors last year were welcomed with the same enthusiastic response. Tyred Furniture's sustainable furniture pieces were bought by Li Edelkoort. Letterpress Company and Skinny Laminx were praised on Martha Stewart's blog. User Design successfully launched its contemporary furniture range and first-time exhibitors Springleap.com sold hundreds of its custom-designed T-shirts. Nor Cupcake Country and Bousquet Creations being sold out on the first day.