Johannesburg - In order to grow the South African economy, create jobs for a growing population and fight poverty, it was vitally important to establish South Africa as an international brand.
Top branding guru, Anthony Swart, CEO of global branding company, Enterprise IG, said the most recent Markinor Sunday Times Top Brand Survey 2005 yet again proved the power of brands and the role they played in the world.
"Two of the top brands in the banking category - Volkskas and Perm - have ceased to exist for some time yet live on in the minds of consumers," Swart said.
Swart, whose company worked on more than two thirds of the top brands identified in the survey, called for a private public partnership between government and the private sector to launch the development of a south African economic brand, followed by a high-profile international campaign to market this brand.
"In the same way that Coke, SAB Miller and Vodacom have become branding icons, we need to establish brand South Africa as a country-icon."
He said it was vitally important for South Africa to find a niche alongside countries like France, Germany and South Korea not only as a favourite tourist destination but as a preferred place to invest and set up shop.
"When one thinks of Germany, concepts like quality and engineering excellence spring to mind. France has become synonymous with fashion and flair while South Korea has become the epitome of quality at a good price."
Swart said campaigns launched by the department of tourism had done much to attract tourists to the country - hence the fact that the Sunday Times Markinor survey found that Cape Town and Durban had become favourite international tourist destinations.
"There have been numerous campaigns in the past that attempted to sell various aspects of South Africa to an international audience but never one that sought to establish South Africa as an economic brand."
While companies like Anglo Gold had become synonymous with world-wide gold exploration and De Beers as the leader in the international diamond trade, neither corporate was seen globally as uniquely South African.
"We need to capitalise on the success of companies like Anglo and De Beers and make them part of the South African identity," Swart said.
Swart said there was huge appreciation internationally for what had been achieved in South Africa post 1994 and the near-miracle resurrection of the South African economy.
"One only has to look at the successful implementation of the 'Proudly South African' initiative and the International Marketing Council's (IMC) work around the 'Alive with Possibility'. Both have led to increased awareness of South Africa as an international tourism destination.
Brand South Africa had to imbue locally produced products and services with a South African "brand essence" that transformed them from basic "things" into "buy-me" brands.
"This brand identity should harness key South African characteristics and use them to create a brand that exemplify what South Africa and its people are all about - a kind of 'new South Africa nationalism'."
Swart said the 2010 world soccer cup would be a marvellous springboard for just such a campaign. Korea cemented its place on the world brand stage through its hosting of the 2002 World Cup.
"We know from our own experience in the marketplace that there are many major corporates who would be prepared to partner with government on building the South African Economic brand. What we have to do now is get it off the ground."