Shudufhadzo: South Africa's Miss SA firm favourite

With over 44 global news article mentions and 14,000 social media mentions since being crowned on Saturday, 24 October 2020, Meltwater, the global leaders in media intelligence, analysed news and social media mentions on Shudufhadzo Musida and ‘#MissSA2020’ to unpack the reactions to South Africa’s new queen.

Social media analysis on ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’ and ‘#MissSA2020’

The ‘Miss South Africa’ name has had its fair share of viral news and social media moments throughout the course of 2020. From the ‘#MissSA2020’ trending in May as entries opened to #BiancaMustFall, South Africans have been paying close attention to this year’s pageant, and the finalists who would be competing for the crown.

When the semi-finalists were announced on 24 June 2020, the ‘#MissSA2020’ hashtag was trending in South Africa, with a total social reach of 26 million people. It was also during this time that South Africans had declared some of their favourites who could potentially take the crown; Shudufhadzo Musida was one of them.

Social Volume (blue) vs Social Reach (green) on ‘#MissSA2020’ and ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’ between 23 October and 25 October 2020

On the day of the Miss South Africa finale, and the subsequent crowning on Shudufhadzo, the data records just over 9,000 social media mentions of ‘#MissSA2020’ and ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’. These mentions had a total global social reach of 92.2 million people.

Shudufhadzo was a firm favourite to take the title during the semi-final stage, as she also won the People’s Choice vote, which secured her Top 10 placement. Her crowning as the new Miss South Africa has further shown how the nation had chosen her as their new queen long before the crown was placed on her head.

However, since being crowned as Miss South Africa 2020, Shudufhadzo has been warmly embraced by South African online users, as the data indicates an overall positive sentiment towards Shudufhadzo.

Social Media Sentiment Analysis of ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’ in South Africa between 24 October and 28 October 2020

South Africans are not the only ones who have taken a warm liking to their new Miss South Africa 2020; ‘Shudufhadzo’ has also been mentioned beyond South African borders.

While South Africa has dominated much of the 14,000 global social media mentions on the new Miss South Africa, online users from the United States of America have also taken to social media to send their congratulations to Shudufhadzo, hailing her natural beauty that follows in the footsteps of current Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi.

Nigeria, Namibia and the United Kingdom round up the top five countries who are mentioning the new Miss South Africa since her crowning.

Global Heat Map of Social Media Mentions on ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’ and ‘#MissSA2020’ between 24 October and 27 October 2020

The theme for this year’s Miss South Africa was ‘Face Your Fear. Embrace Your Future’, which is a theme that the data picks up in light of Shudufhadzo becoming the new Miss South Africa 2020, and how there is no doubt that she will indeed embrace the new future that awaits her.

Other trending themes on South African social media around ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’ and ‘#MissSA2020’ include:

• ‘Wits university student’ and ‘fashion model’ which refers to this tweet from the @WitsUniversity Twitter account congratulating Shudufhadzo.
  
• ‘magnificent sis Shudufhadzo Musida’ and ‘stellar job’ which refers to this tweet from South African artist, Proverb.
  
• ‘fade’ which refers to this tweet from South African Twitter user @odedanilo regarding the hair changes that Miss South Africa winners have been embracing.

South African Social Media Trending Themes on ‘Shudufhadzo Musida’ and ‘#MissSA2020’ between 24 October and 27 October 2020

There is no doubt that when South Africans had chosen Shudufhadzo Musida as their people’s choice to take the Miss South Africa 2020 crown, it would ultimately lead to her doing that very thing. As the newly crowned queen of South Africa begins her new journey, she has the whole nation behind her as Shudufhadzo truly faces her fear and embraces her future as the new Miss South Africa 2020.

If you want to get insights like these to monitor trending topics in news and social media about your brand, business, industry or competitors, you can contact the Meltwater Team here.

Source: Data gathered by Meltwater from 23 October 2020 to 28 October 2020.