World Cup brand needs more pep

Johannesburg - The 2010 Fifa World Cup government spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso has highlighted an urgent need to coordinate activities around the event to bring the brand to life.

He was speaking at the National Communication Partnerships' (NCP's) last communicators conference before the competition takes place in less than a year's time. The get-together on Monday showed that "cooperation is possible", he said.

"But one area of improvement that should be attended to with some urgency is well coordinated implementation. It is good to share information, but we should effectively use all the existing structures to bring brand alignment to life."

The conference looked back on the successes and shortcomings of communication around the tournament, as well as charting a way forward. A practical activity brought up at the conference is soccer Fridays, which may start on September 4.

Southern Sun approached the NCP with the concept, since it was going to embark on the plan with its staff. People will be encouraged to wear their football jerseys to work on Fridays throughout the country, to entrench the idea that the soccer spectacular is heading to South Africa.

The initiative can work on a national scale if all stakeholders are speaking the same language. A challenge noted at the conference was the lack of integrated communication. While marketing and information abounded, there was little cohesion.

Cooperation will cut costs

Organising committee media manager Jermaine Craig says that despite the multiple messaging, they are all working towards a common goal. "It is a big challenge to coordinate everything, but we have succeeded in our initiative and the success of the Confederations Cup is evidence of that."

Rikhotso states that because they are working towards a common goal, greater collaboration can result in better campaigns and cost cutting since any duplication will be avoided.

He continued that national government will be working more closely with provinces to close gaps that have been noticed.

Communicating readiness remains important when doubts still linger about the country's ability to carry off the feat. Craig reports that through their media monitoring, they have discovered that coverage has taken a more positive slant.

The Confederations Cup allowed foreign journalists to come and witness for themselves what was going on and no longer report on hearsay, he says.

The overriding theme at the conference was creating an integrated approach. Since the World Cup has been fashioned not just a country achievement but a continental one, mobilising initiatives on this front was discussed.

According to Rikhotso, a meeting was held on Wednesday on how to implement this, and how to get the ball rolling in the five other countries that have qualified.

- Fin24.com