As the host of 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa aims to create a more compelling, dynamic brand image of the country. Its Consul General in Shanghai discusses the South African brand and its co-branding with the World Cup at the Expo.

To celebrate the first global sporting event to be contested on the African continent, the South African hosts staged a dazzling pageant on the soccer pitch that reflected the nation's arts, culture, song and dance, as well as multiple jet flyovers, fireworks and a giant dung beetle kicking a giant inflated soccer ball toward a goal.

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa got under way with a spectacular and vibrant opening ceremony at the 94,000-capacity Soccer City in Johannesburg.Africa is staging the World Cup for the first time, with 32 nations competing in 64 games until the final on 11 July.

As excitement builds around the FIFA World Cup, marketers globally want to leverage the event to build brands. But the job is especially difficult in China, where the World Cup, and soccer generally, are experienced and understood in a unique way.

As excitement builds around the FIFA World Cup, marketers globally want to leverage the event to build brands. But the job is especially difficult in China, where the World Cup, and soccer generally, are experienced and understood in a unique way.

The Football World Cup kicks off on Friday. This is an opportune occasion to reflect on the fact that sport is meant to foster social cohesion, bring different cultures together in a celebration of healthy competition...

As the importance of nation branding and reputation management grew in importance, a need was felt by the different constituents of the South African government — South African tourism, the departments of trade and industry, and foreign affairs — to carve a more coherent positioning than ‘Rainbow Nation’.

Just over 20 years since Nelson Mandela walked to freedom, the people of the so-called "rainbow nation" will bask in the admiration of the world not only for their success in hosting such a huge event but, in a broader sense, for having maintained their country as an oasis of democratic values and an economic power in southern Africa.