2 August 2006

After the 2006 Fifa World Cup, Germany is seen as a likeable, open-minded and innovative country. It helped that everything ran like clockwork and the German public welcomed the flood of visitors from the world.

But the changed image has a great deal to do with the re-branding Germany underwent. The man who spearheaded that drive is Mike de Vries. And he is coming to South Africa to share his experiences in brand positioning Germany before the World Cup.

De Vries will be one of the main speakers at the 2010 National Communication Partnership Conference taking place in Johannesburg on 15 August.

The conference, being hosted by the International Marketing Council of SA (IMC) on behalf of the 2010 National Communication Partnership Task Team, will give marketers, communicators and other stakeholders from both the public and private sectors a unique opportunity to co-ordinate communication messages as South Africa moves toward 2010.

De Vries is the CEO of FC Deutschland GmbH, the company formed specifically to present Germany to visitors - as well as to Germans themselves - as the "Land of Ideas" and as a friendly, open-minded and innovative country.

High praise after the 2006 World Cup shows that De Vries succeeded in his branding campaign.

"Mike has significant insights, which we can learn from as we market South Africa as Alive with Possibility in the lead-up to 2010," says IMC CEO Yvonne Johnston.

More information on the conference, the full programme and speakers, can be found on the International Marketing Council website

Raul Peralba, a partner director at Trout & Partners, will also speak at the conference, exploring the branding and marketing opportunities provided by a major event. Peralba is also chairman of positioning systems in the Group's affiliate firm in Spain, and was responsible for the Spanish versions of best-selling books by Trout such as the ground-breaking Positioning - The Battle for your Mind.

Wolfgang Grulke from Futureworld - author of the best-selling Ten Lessons from the Future - will look at Africa and South Africa in the 21st century.

The government's commitment to and expectations of 2010 will be addressed by Themba Maseko, CEO of the Government Communication and Information System.

Danny Jordaan, who heads up the Local Organising Committee, will be looking at marketing opportunities for South African corporates leading up to 2010.

The IMC's Yvonne Johnston will address the future strategy of brand South Africa, and Nepad's general manager of communications and outreach, Thaninga Shope-Linney, will look at perspectives and opportunities for Africa.

After the morning's presentations, there will be four separate outcomes-oriented sessions to work through the lessons learnt earlier in the day.

A gala dinner will end proceedings.

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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