Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to open the inaugural South Africa Brand Summit

With participants coming from South Africa and other parts of the world, the summit will depart from the assumption that all countries are brands competing with others in a highly and increasingly global environment. They compete for tourists; for foreign direct investments; for foreign students; for high-profile multilateral research grants with funding from global institutions and multinational corporations; and they compete for goodwill and trust to be considered as potential regional head-quarters for big business and multilateral organisations employing high spending experts with scare skills.

As the most industrialised, modern, economy in Africa, and given its rich diverse population boasting influences from almost all parts of the globe, South Africa is well positioned to be a leader in a number of development sectors. But it cannot be an attractive country/nation brand if it fails to meet key requirements to attract global goodwill and trust.

The rationale for the Brand Summit South Africa

24 years following the dawn of democratic South Africa and four Presidents later, a lot has happened to unravel the tapestry of the rainbow nation which earned South Africa the admiration of the world during Nelson Mandela’s presidency.

The South Africa Summit will provide a robust platform to begin - but probably not finish - a series of easy and difficult conversations that will enable participants to:

• Understand how South Africa is perceived and what it is currently associated with and known for, at home and abroad (current nation brand image);
• Identify the things that impact on South Africa as a nation brand;
• Discuss South Africa’s brand narrative(s), i.e. the messages that are being received out there, at home and abroad, about the country,
• Understand how such messages get sent out and how they inform the narrative of the nation brand image;
• Identify key South African brands – across the spectrum that particularly impact on South Africa’s image;
• Globally benchmark South Africa against other nation brands, especially its middle-income country peers, in Africa and elsewhere in the world;
• Discuss global best practice in nation brand building and management;
• Facilitate discussions about an ideal brand South Africa; i.e. what we would like South Africa to be known for and associated with (brand identity); and, finally
• Recognise, award, and celebrate the brands that make South Africa attractive.

Target audience

• CEOs, Senior Executives, and Middle-management
• Brand management professionals
• Reputation management professionals
• Senior government officials
• Political communicators
• Specialist media in brand management and reputation management
• Individuals who are interested in South Africa’s evolving image and its impact on the country’s economic fortunes.

“Some of the most influential South Africans in politics, media, business and civil society will be there to share their views on what they think should be done to help our country recover the massive reputational fortunes lost during the Zuma presidency”, said Solly Moeng, Convenor of the summit, “we look forward to engaging them and to hearing the views of our distinguished foreign specialist guests.”