South Africa’s Brand Positioning Amid Global Uncertainty

Brand SA globally

When the South African government responded to the need for the country to be positioned as an investment destination and a partner in global governance, it needed to leverage a coherent and integrated nation brand image to deliver on these strategic objectives. At that time, there was very little knowledge of what and who South Africa was, other than the association with its apartheid past and liberation icon, the late president Nelson Mandela. Brand South Africa was given a mandate and the responsibility for developing a nation brand strategy for the country. Our government recognised the need for a unique value proposition, understanding that South Africa can only gain a competitive advantage if it can differentiate itself.

Since then, Brand SA has helped the country establish itself as an internationally recognised country in the nation brand space. Our country has done this through our various national strengths:

• Great sporting prowess
• Our internationally exported winning wines, our culture and heritage
• Our vibrant constitution
• The country’s beautiful fauna and flora
• Being considered one of the top 100 global travel destinations.

Brand SA in SA

The next step to creating a truly vibrant Brand SA is getting our people to buy into Brand SA. The goal is to have a better understanding of how everything that happens on the ground – our associated behaviour, attitude, and what we say and do – influences how South Africa is perceived. Currently, there is no link or correlation.

Some segments of the South African population understand the intricacies of building a reputable country brand. While the awareness levels of Brand SA domestically are satisfactory, we need to be more focused and intentional and speak to citizens in a relatable and relevant manner. There’s an opportunity to leverage our initiative through the Play Your Part programme to build awareness around shaping a positive narrative and image of the country.

Brand SA’s impact on investment

We need to position South Africa as an economic hub that extends to the balance of the continent. Ideally, we want investors to use us as a conduit to access the continent. With our progressive infrastructure (road, air and land), we are in a better position than most other countries; the same is true of the strength of our financial institutions. South Africa houses one of the world’s top 20 stock exchanges – the JSE is currently ranked as the 17^th largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalisation – and the largest stock exchange on the African continent.

Brand SA has championed several campaigns profiling South Africa’s strength in attracting investment. This includes showcasing our export value and contextualising South African policies. We have also showcased why investor protection is critical and how the rule of law ensures adherence to the principles of supremacy, equality, accountability, and fairness. These are the pillars we focus on when crafting marketing and communication campaigns, including a reputation management programme for South Africa that’s responsive to issues in the environment affecting our nation brand image. The work done by Invest SA is part of advancing South Africa’s image as a one-stop-shop to simplify the process of opening a business in the country.

The role of reputation management agencies such as ours continues to be critical in elevating a nation’s abilities and capabilities. Through this, we can compete for a share of voice in the promotion and attraction of investment opportunities that contribute to economic growth and, through this, poverty alleviation for all our people.