The nation branding opportunities provided by a sport mega-event: South Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Abstract

Over the past decade there has been a growing awareness of the significant impact that hosting sport mega-events can have on a nation׳s brand. This paper discusses the context of nation branding and the role of sport mega-events in generating a nation branding legacy. A nation brand is not owned or controlled by a single organisation, but rather jointly developed and delivered by a network of public and private sector organisations. The examination of both event and brand stakeholder perceptions and experiences post the event was therefore identified as an important research area. The case of South Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup was selected as improving the brand image was clearly stated as an aim for the host nation. The paper is based on a qualitative study that featured in-depth interviews conducted with definitive stakeholders from the public and private sectors (n=8), within two of the major host cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town that took place two years post the event. The paper details the perceptions, experiences and reflections of these stakeholders relating to the branding opportunities and the legacy from the event and the degree to which these were leveraged. The paper contends that there are significant branding opportunities for nations beyond merely publicity, brand awareness and short-term perception changes. Greater knowledge and understanding of a brand can be developed through the experiences and engagement of visitors, citizens and members of the international business community, leading to the establishment of a more authentic brand image. Furthermore, there is also the opportunity to use these new image perceptions to position the nation brand for competitive advantage in tourism as well as business and investment sectors. Two key influencing factors of the nation branding legacy were identified, namely the media (including traditional and new media) and the role of local citizens. The discourse surrounding leveraging of legacies is furthered and supported, as it is clear that the success and legacy of the mega-event are a result of strategic activities of stakeholders. A nation branding legacy is therefore a combination of the opportunities provided by the sport mega-event and the strategic intention and activities of stakeholders.

Introduction

The first ever FIFA World Cup on African soil took place from 11 June to 11 July 2010. Although South Africa had hosted other sport mega-events, such as the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 1996 African Nations Cup (football) and the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the 2010 FIFA World Cup represented by far the largest sport event to be hosted. One of the principal issues for all concerned with the organisation of the 2010 event was the issue of legacy, and in particular, the legacy of the event for the South African nation brand. Indeed, the 2010 Organising Committee made it clear that the vision for the event, and one of its main objectives, was to change the global perceptions of South Africa and the African continent (Jordaan, 2011).

South Africa faces branding challenges similar to most developing nations, given the unfamiliarity of its brand and also having potentially incorrect, out-dated or stereotyped associations. The “Brand Africa”/continent brand effect results in all African nations being associated with the same attributes (Anholt, 2007). For “Brand Africa”, these tend to include the negative problems associated with the continent, such as crime, civil war, famine, disease and corruption. A study of nation brand perceptions of South Africa conducted during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (Knott, Swart, Turco, & Bob, 2010) confirmed this, showing that there were limited clear perceptions of South Africa׳s nation brand. In addition, heightened media attention on the nation in the lead up to the mega-event had focused on many negative aspects such as inflation, crime and xenophobic riots, casting doubt on the country׳s ability to successfully and safely host the event (Tomlinson, Bass, & Pillay, 2009).

As the largest sport event to be hosted on the African continent, the 2010 FIFA World Cup provided a platform for the host nation to be showcased to the largest global television audience for any single-sport event ever and created an opportunity to dispel common stereotypes about Africa and dispel Afro-pessimism (Donaldson and Ferreira, 2009, Tomlinson et al., 2009). The case of South Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup is therefore an interesting one, as the host nation represents a country that clearly stated its intention to use a sport mega-event to develop its nation brand. The following section reviews the development of the literature related to nation branding and the role of sport mega-events.