THE SOUTH AFRICA BRAND SUMMIT & AWARDS ATTRACTS LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL THOUGHT LEADERS

The inaugural South Africa Brand Summit & Awards, which seeks to analyse South Africa as a brand and recognise organisations and people who have enhanced the country’s reputation, has secured a growing list of renowned thought-leaders, speakers, and panellists. The list includes the likes of:

• Professor Jonathan Jansen – Academic, Columnist and Author
• Siki Mgabadeli – ENCA Television and SABC Radio Anchor
• Crispin Sonn – Executive Director, Gamiro Investment Group
• Alan Winde – Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities, Western Cape
• Yanina Dubeykovskaya – Founder and Chairwoman of The World Communication Forum, Davos

At a critical time in South Africa’s history, The South Africa Brand Summit & Awards will provide a unique platform to begin – but certainly not finish – a series of important conversations about the health and future of South Africa’s nation brand. In a first, pioneers from business, politics and civic society will explore the challenges and opportunities presented by looking at:

• The size of the gulf that exists between South Africa’s brand identity and brand image;
• How South Africa is currently perceived, what it is associated with and known for, domestically and globally.
• Our nation’s brand narrative(s), i.e. the messages that are being received out there, domestically and globally, about the country; how these are generated and propagated, and how they inform the narrative of the nation brand image;
• South Africa’s best-loved brands, across the spectrum domestically and globally, that particularly impact on South Africa’s image.

With the theme “Recapturing the South African narrative”, The South Africa Brand Summit & Awards, will take place on 16^th & 17^th November 2017 in Cape Town, culminating in a Gala Awards Dinner at which brands that make South Africa shine will be celebrated.

Awards: Members of the public are invited to nominate any natural person, company, organisation or group which they feel represents their ideal South African brand. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of expert judges.

South African brands can be nominated for the following categories:

• Socio-economic development
• Policies and practice on rights issues (human rights, labour rights, environmental rights, children’s rights, animal rights, women’s rights, group rights, etc.)
• Community builders
• South African brand ambassadorship, locally and abroad
• Ethical leadership
• Embraces and promotes diversity
• Generates positive publicity for RSA
• Attracts positive interest in RSA
• Generates positive publicity and global goodwill for RSA
• Mentors and grows young South Africans

Early bird tickets and award nomination forms are available at sabrandsummit.co.za.

Solly Moeng, Reputation Specialist & Project Convenor has this to say: “We are very excited about the feedback we have received for our inaugural summit. It is our honour to welcome a growing list of exceptional speakers, panellists, moderators and sponsors from all sectors of our society into the fold.

The need for such an initiative has never been more critical. And it has never been more timely. The Summit will initiate and lead critical conversations about our nation’s brand image; the attributes that make us proud, as well as the opportunities that remain to improve on our best efforts to progress in an increasingly global and complex world.

This initiative will also provide an opportunity to reflect on how best to position South Africa as an attractive destination for FDI, discerning tourists, project collaboration in many sought-after fields (academia, sports, etc.); all aimed at promoting sustainable development, as well as regional and global leadership for South Africa.”