"Open, for Business" investment campaign launched

The launch, attended by investors, business and stakeholders, took place at the InvestSA One Stop Shop in Cape Town, and included keynote addresses by the Provincial Minister for Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier and the Mayoral Committee Member of Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos.

This campaign is a collaborative effort between different levels of government to present a common message to the world: that both Cape Town and the Western Cape province are open for business with many opportunities on offer in a variety of growing sectors.

By pooling resources behind a common campaign identity and drawing on world-class best practise in digital marketing, the campaign is expected to reach tens of thousands of prospective investors in key source markets, including China, the UK, the USA, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

It has never been more important for the province and country, as many challenges persist. It is therefore critical to highlight to the rest of the world that there are many lucrative opportunities for investment on offer. This showcase will help ensure that we continue to grow our economy and create the many jobs that are needed by people across the province.

Cape Town is open for business

Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, said: “The City of Cape Town is open for business. To assist companies, we provide access to the core ingredients of success. In addition to a world-class airport which is currently undergoing a massive expansion, a harbour which gives access to African and international markets for goods and our ability to transact land to unlock economic potential, the City also provides key services to support and grow business. My department’s Investment Facilitation Unit helps to navigate municipal processes and assists in clearing bottlenecks. We offer business retention and expansion services to make sure that businesses grow and create employment."

The City’s recently implemented Investment Incentives Policy, provides financial and non-financial incentives for companies in areas where there is great potential for job-creating investment but where challenges to investment currently exist.

Investment in skills training

For the city to compete globally and achieve inclusive socio-economic growth, investment in skills and training for the sectors that are poised for substantial growth need to be continued instead of training for training sake.

In doing this, collaborative efforts are being made to ensure that residents have the skills that companies need to grow and therefore, employ more people.

About the campaign

Going out in three digital bursts, the campaign adopts a smart re-messaging approach. The first being a global remarket to international source markets, the second a local push to key companies that have shown interest, and the third, a series of sector specialist testimonials retargeted at all groups, that will add the credibility the destination needs to attract business to our City and Province.

The objective of the campaign is to drive leads to a highly specialised Investment Promotion team, able to assist in landing deals and driving business expansion. Users will engage with the creative online, and be prompted to click through to a web page with a world of sector information available in order to change the perception and inspire contact with the teams on the ground.

David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, said: “The Western Cape is open for business and we want all potential investors to know about the great opportunities available in the province. This campaign will ensure that the best of the Western Cape is showcased and all those responsible for economic development, at both the provincial and municipal level, have the tools and assets available to promote the Western Cape when engaging with investors. As such, we welcome this campaign and thank Wesgro for their efforts in working collaboratively to align the interests of all partners involved.”

Off the back of a successful Investor Confidence Awareness Campaign in 2019, the new campaign will re-target almost 16.5 million potential investors via digital channels to drive the new objective of leads. Following global best practice, the content crosses borders, is sector-based, retargeting activities and interests, with compelling content and the latest stats.

The campaign’s priority sectors include BPO, creative industries, agri-business, maritime manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, real-estate and tech.

The campaign goes live on investwesterncape.com and investcapetown.com towards the end of February and will run until mid-year.