Going beyond the game

He goes on to say that sports are increasingly being used as a driver for bigger and better things, bringing people to countries they would never previously have visited well after the actual events; effectively showcasing both the event and the country simultaneously.

Branding in sport and of sports events has thus become more important than ever.

“We saw for instance with the Rugby World Cup, that there were a number of activities built into the event that had nothing to do with the actual game and everything to do with France. In this way, visitors and spectators engaged with the country at various levels. Sports event brands have to capture all of that – both the essence of the sport and that of the country and people, and what they're about.”

Manqele adds that this is why we're seeing sports brands concentrating on making sure people understand where the brand comes from, “The recently held FIFA Women's World Cup had branding that was definitely FIFA, but then went on to tell you about where they were playing. This didn't happen before. There was no connection between the sporting body in charge of the event and the country in which the event was being held.”

Challenge

Perhaps the biggest challenge in this collaborative branding, Manqele believes, is about exposing what the destination country is about, whilst still capturing the essence of the actual event, “There's a huge opportunity to look at the country brand as a travel brand, going beyond just the sporting event. It's about immersing yourself in the people, the place, the culture – even exploring business opportunities.”

Manqele says that contributing to this type of branding in a very real way is the fact that, with increasing globalisation and sport becoming more and more inclusionary, there's no such thing as a guaranteed winner anymore. This means the spectrum of tourists and the audience exposed to the brand is far more diverse than before.

“Look at France's win against New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup, for example. Look at how arguably, one of the teams pipped to be in the final wasn't there. This gave that last match a much more diverse audience than it would have had 10 or 15 years ago.”

Sports brands have, in essence then, become commercial brands that are merely driven by the actual event: “A sports brand tends to build up towards a crescendo (the final). A commercial brand on the other hand tends to try ride that wave and continue riding it for as long as possible afterwards. That being said, commercial brands are clearly recognising the value of sports brands, as evidenced by the huge amounts of money they pump into these events. This is to create that brand association with the event – as these events have become such powerful brands.”

Invaluable

The power of these sports brands is thus a force to be reckoned with: one that can be invaluable for the host country. “Countries really need to tap into the power of these brands, and use them to showcase themselves to the rest of the world. This makes 2010 such an incredible opportunity for South Africa. It's our chance to welcome people both physically and visually to our country, and say, ‘this is who we are and what we're all about'.”

While the sports themselves have all of us on the edge of our seats – be it our boys scrumming down against England, or needing 20 with just six balls remaining against India – it's the actual brands themselves and their evolution that's even more exciting for anyone in the world of branding, Manqele emphasizes.

So, before you next settle down in front of your TV with your beer and popcorn to watch your team take on the rest of the world, spare a thought for the creative and strategic thinking that has gone into making your favourite sport what it is today – and how it's served to give you a privileged glimpse into life in other parts of the world, he concludes.