New Posts in New Year, but Happy Holidays & Thanks to All; Invictus dissapointment

Huge apologies to all the great readers and fans of this blog.  I wouldn’t be sending apologies (since there likely wouldn’t have been anyone to apologize to) if not for the great support I’ve received from you over this crazy year.

As many of you know, I’ve recently started a new job as “A Better World Marketing Manager” for Herman Miller, Inc., (www.hermanmiller.com) the fabled furniture and design company based in Western Michigan.  I’m completely thrilled to be joining this great company and continue to help sustain their leadership in corporate citizenship.  And not surprisingly, due to their history of encouraging the passions of their employees, Herman Miller has agreed to allow me to maintain my travels to the World Cup in South Africa and investigate CSR efforts around the games!

So…I started the new job just before the holidays and with leaving my previous job, I haven’t had time to write for this blog.  I promise, especially as we march into 2010, the posts and discussion will continue to come.  I promise.

So thanks to a great end of 2009 and here’s to an even better 2010!

But before I go, some thoughts on the movie Invictus, that was recently released.  If you’re reading this blog, you likely know the premise of the story: Rugby was the sport of white, Apartheid-era South Africa.  South Africa, experiencing a run of poor form, was hosting the Rugby World Cup in 1995, right after the official end of Apartheid.  Also in 1994, Nelson Mandela had been elected President of  the “new South Africa” as it began it’s re-entry to the world community.  However at this stage, the country was still racked by uneasiness of the still fresh past, and fear of the what the future would bring.  Mandela, in his wisdom and grace, seized this opportunity to unite the divided country around the Springboks, the South African national rugby team.  Mandela enlisted Francois Pienaar, captain of the team, to inspire his teammates to greatness.  Reluctantly at first, the team took on the responsibility and placed the hopes of the country on their shoulders, and took the team, and their country mates, to greatness.  Beyond all expectations, the Springboks won the 1995 World Cup, only one year after the official end of Apartheid.

Now, this is a compelling story.  And with the venerable, Clint Eastwood directing actors such as Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, you would think this would be a recipe for success.  And you would be disappointed.  In my opinion, the movie was poorly made, cliched, and did little to capture the emotion and gravity of the event.  But what do I know, I’m not a movie critic.

The timing of the movie was apropos in the lead up to the World Cup.  It’s just a shame it was poorly executed.  (Again, in my own opinion).

However, the movie, with all the scenes of South Africa and the excitement around sport, did get my wife and I extremely excited for the upcoming World Cup. And it was a great representation of an example of when sport is larger and more powerful than just a game.  In this case, it served to truly unite a country.  I truly think this event was catalytic in setting the country on the right track after Apartheid.  And I believe the 2010 World Cup could serve as another catalytic event to lead South Africa, and the region, into their next stage of growth.

Pledge My Seat is now LIVE! Pledge here!

Kick4Change’s Pledge My Seat campaign went live on December 4th, the day of the World Cup Draw.  This occasion was exciting for the teams participating of course, but also for the millions of people who can now participate in the Pledge My Seat program and for the hundreds of thousands of children in Africa who will be benefit from their new 4sport boots!

From Jamie and Simon, the co-founders of Kick4Change:

PledgeMySeat is a global legacy campaign created by award winning social enterprise kick4change CIC.  The aim is to send 94,700 brand new football boots to underprivileged African children.

  Based on the venue of the 2010 World Cup final, we are selling seats in our virtual stadium. Every seat pledged represents a pair of new football boots that we’ll send to our charity partners who all use football as a building block of social change. The boots will be used to engage children in educational programmes, dealing with issues such as HIV awareness and dealing with the stigma of having Aids, as well as teaching basic life skills such as respect for others and self esteem.

In pledging your seat, you’ll receive a unique seat number that will automatically enter you into a prize draw.  Amongst the prizes is the chance to win a trip to Africa to play in an All Star football tournament and the opportunity to assist one of our charity partners in delivering their educational programmes.

All profits generated from this campaign will be reinvested back into a variety of UK beneficiaries including schools, grass root clubs, community initiatives and good causes.  Please support us in our ‘Home and Away’ campaign, helping create a lasting legacy amongst children from the 2010 World Cup.

I just pledged my seat early and now have a “front row” seat for the World Cup.  For the price of 1 full pair of 4sport boots, £14.99, you can “purchase” your seat; where will you be sitting? As of December 7th, 763 seats have been pledged.  If you can’t actually  be in South Africa for the games, this is a wonderful way to directly participate.

Will your seat be connected to a pair of football boots for the next generation of African footballers, teachers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, innovators, etc.?  Who knows, but let’s do one small thing that may help give them a chance.

Follow @kick4change on Twitter to stay updated on the Pledge My Seat program.  Please use #pledgemyseat if tweeting about the initiative!

And for a link to an earlier interview with the founders of Kick4Change, click here: http://worldcupcsr.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/interview-with-jamie-tosh-of-kick4change-a-new-social-enterprise/

NY Times: Drogba & Nike placing their stamp on the games for good (and good exposure)

The New York Times recently (Dec. 2) published an article about Didier Drogba, Chelsea striker and Arsenal killer, teaming up with Nike and Bono to raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS.  Drogba, also a star player for the Ivory Coast, and probably the highest profile African player in the English Premier League, in this past weekend’s game against Arsenal, celebrated a goal by taking off a shoe, showing his red laces to the crowd.  As the article states:

The significance of those laces became clear Monday when Drogba and the singer Bono launched their “Lace Up. Save Lives” initiative with Nike in London.

On the eve of World AIDS Day, and four days before the world focuses on Cape Town, this was a commercial hijacking laced with genuine charity.”

Bad timing for Arsenal fans.  Great timing for Nike and for World Aids Day (this past December 1).

As the article continues, Droba,

As a Nike front man… leads a band of soccer stars joining up with Bono’s known crusade to do something about diseases across the continent. The tie up with Nike and the Global Fund is aimed to coincide with World Cup year, and to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Nike is pretty brilliant.  While they know they can’t place their ubiquitous “swoosh” on any FIFA World Cup 2010 related gear, they are still taking full advantage of the opportunity to place their stamp on the upcoming games in South Africa.  And likely in parallel to product marketing and athlete sponsorships, they are doing it with some good old cause marketing.  The Lace Up, Save Lives campaign asks supporters to buy a pair of Lace Up, Save Lives red shoe laces and the proceeds will go to support efforts providing anti-retrovirals, AIDS education, etc. for those suffering with HIV/AIDS in Africa. And as the article states,

The commercial element comes with Nike’s noninvolvement on any official level with FIFA, the owner of the World Cup. The governing body of world soccer has an exclusive partnership with the German sportswear company Adidas. That means that if Nike wants to be seen around the tournament it has to think up imaginative ways to trump the “official sponsor” Adidas can stamp on its products.

Nike’s publicity machine is as smart and as forceful at marketing as Drogba is in the goalmouth. But when the cause is as worthy as this one, when commerce and charity can be blended to such needy effect, it would be churlish not to applaud it.

I couldn’t agree more.  Some would argue that more money could be sent directly to organizations than that raised through this cause marketing initiative.  Other critics would likely say that more money is being spent to publicize the effort (and Nike) than will go to help those in need.  Some of this may end up being true.   But knowing Drogba’s track record of using his celebrity AND riches to help his fellow African (he recently committed the $5 million sponsorship he gained for being the African face of Pepsi to build a hospital in Abidjan, Ivory Coast) I think his motivation is genuine and, in turn, I hope Nike’s motivation is also to do good, while also doing a little brand profile raising in Africa.

This is a great and creative example of a company using CSR (cause marketing in this case) as a marketing tool during the build up to the first World Cup hosted in Africa.  This a smart way to increase their brand awareness in an African football market dominated by competitors, Puma and Adidas.  And this is a particularly creative way of getting past FIFA’s stringent ambush marketing regulations.  Let’s hope some of the other companies (sponsors or not) take notice of Nike’s efforts and creativity.

To read the full article go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/sports/soccer/02iht-SOCCER.html?_r=2&emc=eta1

To join the Lace Up for Lives campaign on Twitter, click here: http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikefootball-en_GB/2009/11/30/join-the-fight-on-twitter

To post info about the campaign on your Facebook wall, click here:  http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/red/home?locale=en_GB

Adidas and Yunus team up to make 1 euro sneaker

Recently Adidas announced plans to make a 1 euro sneaker!  They have teamed up with Muhamed Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Ashoka fellow, founder of Grameen bank, and all around awesome human being, to design and produce a 1 euro shoe for the BOP market (bottom of the pyramid), starting in Bangladesh.

According to a news release:

Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus suggested the “social business” project to the company, which normally focuses on trendy, expensive sportswear for people who want to project a sporty image.

Yunus advised Adidas that people in the poor world need products that are both affordable and manufactured locally, creating jobs.  The first Adidas non-profit shoes will be made in and for Bangladesh.

Adidas Group spokesperson Jan Runau said at the company’s head office in Herzogenaurach that the “one-euro” price-tag was more a concept and did not mean the shoes really would be that inexpensive.  More specifically, the product is to be sold at no more than the cost of materials and manufacture. A memorandum of intent has been signed.

This is pretty impressive.  Not only is this a savvy business move to tap into the billions of potential consumers in the “bottom of the pyramid” market, but it is a truly compassionate move by the company.  I’m surprised – this seems like a move Nike would make – but this is an amazing way to extend the brand while providing access to a basic human need to billions; shoes may not sound like much but they can prevent many easily avoidable health problems as well as inspire more children to participate in sport.

And kudos to Adidas for teaming up with Mohamed Yunus, one of the true giants working to end poverty around the world.  I couldn’t think of a better, more genuine, and respected figure to have developed this partnership with.

Let’s just hope that as they continue this partnership, Adidas sticks to the contents of their MOI (which I’m sure Yunus has combed overly closely), to keep the jobs in Bangladesh and the price point of these shoes extremely low.

I’m looking forward to tracking this project; I would be very curious to know if they plan on engaging the southern Africa market pre or post the World Cup with these shoes.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=iol1258316925203G655

Northern Ireland won’t compete on field but preparing to win in business

A recent article in the Belfast Telegraph described the upcoming trip of 15 Northern Ireland companies to South Africa as part of an Invest NI trade mission.  While Northern Ireland didn’t qualify for the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, these companies, mostly new to the South Africa market, are eager to build relationships in the country and region; they obviously see the opportunity.  These companies represent a cross-section of contemporary Northern Ireland industry ranging from engineering, ICT, life sciences, and agri-products.

As reported in the article:

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI trade director, said the mission aimed to strengthen relationships with the South African business community.

“South Africa is a rapidly developing market with strong economic growth and high potential offering Northern Ireland companies a breadth of opportunity for innovative and export focused business,” she said.

“I also believe there is substantial potential for companies in South Africa to explore new markets or expand their sales in Europe by making use of our experience of the EU marketplace.

“Similarly, South African partnerships make good business sense for Northern Ireland companies interested in developing their sales and presence in the region.”

Let the slow clap ensue.  Bravo!  It is wonderful to see an entire country, not only daring (and intelligent) companies, seeing the opportunity in South Africa.  While Northern Ireland won’t be participating on the field, I bet the investment in time, networking, and relationship building, being made in the region now will yield returns long after the games have come and gone.

To read the full post, click here: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/companies-head-off-to-south-africa-for-trade-event-14547565.html

US mobile content provider using World Cup to grow brand in South Africa

via Google Images & www.sfchronicle.us

A recent article on the web site, IT News Africa, broke news about Cole Solutions, LLC, an American mobile content and applications provider, beginning to operate in the South African market.  They plan on leveraging their success in delivering quality content during and up to the 2010 World Cup in order to build their brand in South Africa and other nearby markets.

The article quotes Ayodale Cole, the founder and CEO of Cole Solutions, saying:

“Much attention has been given to 2010 broadcasting concerns. We’d like to make sure that the Soccer World Cup is as much of a success on the small screen as on the big screen. Key to that success will be the ability to deliver the kind of mobile content that perfectly complements and enhances the overall appeal of the tournament.”

More technical details of their planned business operations in South Africa, according to the article

“Operating under its SMSStreamer.mobi brand, Cole Solutions LLC has committed itself to responsible mobile practices in the South African market and recently became an affiliate member of the Wireless Application Service Provider Association of SA (WASPA). WASPA regulates the local mobile content and applications market and invests considerable resources to ensure the responsible marketing of mobile services.

Cole Solutions’ vote of confidence in the South African mobile market will also have a positive knock-on effect locally as the company is using a domestic aggregator to ensure mobile subscribers across all cellular networks are able to access SMSStreamer.mobi content. In addition, Cole Solutions has retained the services of a South African mobile marketing consultancy to assist in the acquisition of new mobile subscribers through WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) advertising.

That South Africa is seen as a springboard to the African continent is clear from Cole Solutions’ plans to manage its current and future African operations in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Benin from Johannesburg where they will be under the supervision of a Managing Director for African Affairs. “Geographically, the country might be located at the Southern end of the continent, but economically, South Africa lies right at the heart of Africa. That especially true when it comes to the uptake of mobile content and services,” commented Mr. Cole.

Aside from FIFA Soccer World Cup content, Cole Solutions also has mobile rights to play-by-play football content from the English Premier League, Spanish Premier League, Italian Premier League and the French Premier League. “We’re aware that the English Premier League has many fans in South Africa but it’s time now to broaden the focus and start delivering mobile content from other first division leagues around the world,” said Mr. Cole.

In terms of applications on offer, Cole Solutions will soon launch a mobile service that is essentially the SMS version of social networking. “There are many overseas mobile firms operating in the South African market. However, practically all of them only provide content and very little else that could be said to be of real value to local mobile users. We feel that mobile content and mobile applications are two sides of the same coin and you can’t develop a country’s mobile sector without paying attention to both. Cole Solutions will play in the content space, for sure, but we also have a serious focus on adding value to the lives of mobile users by developing useful applications that make owning a cellphone even more desirable,” concluded Mr. Cole.”

This is one of the first times I’ve heard of any company, American or otherwise, out-right say that they see the World Cup as a entry point for expanding operations in the country and region.  I think it’s great acknowledgment of the opportunity that exists surrounding the games and throughout the country and Continent.  I wish them well and would be curious to know what they plan to do in the country region, CSR-wise, besides just providing services, in order to build their brand.

For the full and original article, click here: http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=3256

Castrol and Grass Roots Soccer!

via Google Images & cartype.com

Castrol, one of the official sponsors of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has recently struck up a partnership with Grass Roots Soccer, an innovative (and great!) NGO that utilizes soccer/football to educate children and communities about HIV/AIDS.

They work all over Africa and have a particularly impressive presence in South Africa.  This partnership, helped Grass Roots Soccer launch the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme which “uses football as a platform to enhance HIV/Aids awareness amongst young people between the ages of 10 and 14.”

I was introduced to Grass Roots Soccer by someone who knows the co-founder, Ethan Zohn (former winner of TV reality show, Survivor and current cancer battler).  It’s a truly remarkable organization founded by some pretty remarkable people.  I think it’s fantastic that Castrol, a sponsor, has launched this partnership with a recognized and highly respected NGO.  This is one of the first CSR-like initiatives I’ve heard of by a major sponsor (besides the Continental AG job-training program).  Other sponsors such as Budweiser and Sony have launched major marketing campaigns but I hope this initiative by Castrol is an indication that the other major sponsors will be getting involved in similar programs.

Anyway, I learned of the launch of this partnership through the Grass Roots Soccer blog where they wrote about the program launch.

Bridget Nkuna, Corporate Social Investment Manager at Castrol stated ““I loved every minute of it. You could see the children were thoroughly enjoying it and the coaches held their attention throughout the exercise. It was amazing to actually see how key messages around HIV/Aids were threaded into the activities, providing the children with a novel way of learning about HIV/Aids.”

And commenting on the inspiration for Castrol’s participation Ms. Nkuna continues to state:

“The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ is an exciting time for the whole nation but it will also be a demanding time as South Africans still have to contribute towards the economy while taking care of a family. Through the Castrol Skillz Holiday Programme, we hope to provide some welcome relief for parents who can still continue working, knowing that their children are safe and are being entertained and educated during the holidays.”

The programme feeds into the FIFA Football for Hope movement, which is a strategic alliance, led by FIFA and streetfootballworld to bring together programmes aimed at children and young people using football as an instrument to promote participation and dialogue.

“Football is a great tool for breaking down social barriers, and with the increased interest and excitement of the World Cup, it has become the ideal vessel for getting a message across. Through our partnership with Grassroot Soccer, we feel that we have identified the perfect opportunity to empower the youth with positive, self-affirming life skills information that will serve them well into the future.”

Schools will be closed during the June-July period of next year’s games.  Castrol has identified the burden this may place on families (parents working and kids out of school for a whole month) and stepped in to support Grass Roots Soccer’s efforts to provide structured activities as well as life-skills/health educational opportunities, while still celebrating the games.  As Castrol notes

“Further Castrol Skillz Holiday Programmes will also be taking place during the extended public school holiday period that has been confirmed to run concurrently with the 2010 World Cup tournament activity.”

Kudos to Castrol for supporting an organization and initiative such as this.  I can’t say it makes sense for their brand or know if they think this will enhance their brand, but regardless it is a great partnership and definitely something to celebrate.  Now let’s hope that this is the beginning of other sponsors/brands getting on board with CSR initiatives in the lead up to the games!

For full post from the Grass Roots Soccer blog, click here: http://www.grassrootsoccer.org/2009/10/26/castrol-supports-8-skillz-holiday-programs-in-south-africa/

Guest Post: Dzcus-sion on why WorldCup2010 in South Africa will be one of the best ever

I’ve written about the great new wiki Dzcus_Worldcup a few times on this blog now.  Well, recently I had the chance to talk with Matthew, the creator of the site.  We had a lovely conversation and he was kind enough to write a guest post to provide his perspective on the site, the purpose, and other thoughts.

Thanks Matthew!  His post follows:

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I recently launched a Q&A website on South Africa and the World Cup called dzcus worldcup2010 (As in ‘discuss’ the worldcup2010). The website aims to provide factual and relevant advice to the fans or tourists visiting South Africa during WorldCup2010.

John Kim who actively tweets and blogs about CSR and South Africa, found my website on the Internet based on a post I made and contacted me. We started talking and discovered many common interests and goals.  He invited me to contribute to this blog as a guest.  I am very flattered and excited that John found value in my idea and that he is interested in having me introduce my wiki to some of the influential readers that visit his blog.

To start with, my site is not a discussion forum.  The key difference here is  that the community gets to vote on all the question and answers, the idea being that the wisdom of crowds is better the knowledge of a few. The best (or most voted) answers and questions flow up to the top where they are easily found and the users that post the best questions and answers are rewarded by what is called reputation points.  The voting and the reputation built up over time, authenticates and gives the answers a level of validity that you could not associate to a simple answer culled from an Internet search.

So why did I create this? I created this site because contrary to all the alarmist, sensationalist naysayers out there( guardian.co.uk & New York Times included),  I think this World Cup is going to be one of the greatest ever and I wanted to be a part of it. I also feel that it provides an opportunity for ‘ordinary’ South Africans to tell you how it really is.

This year Woodstock featured a lot in the news in celebration of its 40^th anniversary. When I think of World Cup 2010, I think of it as the Woodstock of our generation.  Yes there is going to be mud but it is also going to be a social, culture and economic pivotal moment that will be talked about by our children and our children’s children.  After all football and rock & roll share a common philosophy, in that it is mainly about having a great party and having a good time.

This is not just an optimistic statement I just made and my reasoning behind this is not the amazing goals I know that Lionel Messi is going to score, or because South Africa is a beautiful country, or the diski dance, or the delicious South African wines, or Kruger national park or because of the best efforts of the Organizers. The reason is that this is World Cup2.0, South Africa could not have picked a more opportune time to host the World Cup.  Social 2.0 technologies have matured and their adoption has reached tipping point. What this means is that this event is going blogged, tweeted, facebooked, youtubed, ninged, and visualized on a scale that has never been seen before. The whole world will socialize and interact this event, and we are all going to be there. Permanent lasting memories will be captured in unique ways and this is why this event this going to be so pivotal.

I also believe that this event will have a lasting social impact on Africa. World Cup 2010 because of all this priceless Social2.0 publicity is going drive tourism and business up in South Africa for years to come.  Social issues of the African continent will become more visible and the more “net-izens” around the globe get involved, the better the chances of some of the continent’s problems being solved.  I strongly believe that technology is great equalizer and game changer.  In today’s web 2.0 world the small time entrepreneur is as visible and as connected as the largest companies.  I would go even further to assert that the small entrepreneur is at an advantage because he does not have the costs associated with the large enterprise and also because large companies just don’t understand the new paradigms. I was able to launch this, connect with like minded individuals like John  and market this to my audience on a very tight bootstrap budget all within three weeks, something I would not have been able to do  even a year back.  Of course to capitalize on this, people need to be educated and that is an area the South African Government should really focus on.

My site is http://worldcup2010.dzcus.com, keep an eye out on it.  I am looking for sponsors and partners for the site, if you are interested please contact me at mmathew  @ dzcus.com.  You can also follow me on twitter; my twitter tag is @mathaix and @dzcus_worldcup.

Mathew Mathew

Founder dzcus.com

Post featured on the “Sports Doing Good” Blog

I’ve recently been in touch with Sab Singh, NYU adjunct professor and founder of the sports business consultancy, the Kaur Group.  Sab contacted me through this blog and we started a good dialogue, discovering that we shared many common interests as well as a shared experience at Georgetown University.

He was kind enough to ask if I would contribute a post to his blog sports doing good and I jumped at the opportunity.  My first article is a re-post of my October 15th post titled “What the World Cup Means (and could mean) for Business.”

The post is slightly different from my October 15th post in that it incorporates thoughts on an earlier post Sab wrote on October 31 titled “Another factor to consider – legacy” which reflects on the issue of the legacy of these huge sports events.  Interestingly, Sab pointed out how England, in their 2018 bid to host the World Cup, is focusing on the  social legacy of the games (diversity, social development, etc.); a relevant and pointed departure from the emphasis on economic development resulting from the 2010 games in South Africa and 2014 to come in Brazil.

Click here to read my full post on Sab’s blog.

About Prof. Singh:

Sab Singh is an experienced business strategy and market research professional. For more than 12 years he has  advised, alone and as part of teams, a number of clients, from multinationals to niche, fast growing entities on their most pressing and promising branding, marketing, strategy, and business development issues. Working with those in, and touched by, the world of sports business is what he does at the Kaur Group.

For more about Sab Singh go to: http://sportsdoinggood.wordpress.com/about-me/

Commentary on article: How to grow a brand responsibly in Africa

via Google Images

Biz Community (whom I love) recently featured an article titled “How to grow your brand responsibly in Africa.”  The article was written by a formidable writer on brands and branding in Africa named Issa Sikiti da Silva.   His article followed the recent Brands & Branding for Good conference that took place in Johanesburg and draws much inspiration from the talk Nomahlubi Simamane, CEO and founder of Zanusi Brand Solutions gave.

In this talk, Mrs. Simamane started by describing the Africa that is perpetuated in the media and which is sadly often true: crime-ridden, violent, poor, uneducated, blah blah blah.  I’m not going to say that it’s not reality in most cases.  But those conditions do not reflect the desire of most Africans (and most humans).  But it’s these conditions that cause many brands to skip-over Africa, underestimating, undervaluing, and misunderstanding the potential consumer market there.   Like in all marketing, Mrs. Simamane stated that you must understand your consumer market in order to know how to engage them.  She stated that

“Africa is not a consumer-led society and [is] a continent where corporates are not trusted, so an aggressive consumer education is required.”

Firstly, this tells me that there is a lack of cultural and pyscho-graphic understanding of African consumers (though I know you can’t lump them into one segment, but bear with me).  But reading this more closely, this SCREAMS out to me opportunities for utilizing CSR as key part of the “aggressive consumer education.”

BRANDS! Are you reading  this!  This is your opportunity (forget whatever you did or didn’t in the past) to educate an entire market about your brand, essentially, on your terms.  And using experiential CSR initiatives i.e. community education partnerships, health related initiatives (as long as it makes sense for your brand) is a great way to win consumer fans and likely loyal brand ambassadors.   Bottom line: the slate is clean; treat consumers well now (with good products and services) AS WELL as respect them as human beings and I see a pretty clear path to winning a lot of market share.

What’s great about this article and what Mrs. Simamane is saying is that it’s  coming from a South African and being reported on a South African web site.  Brilliant.  Give the people what they want I say!

Further in the article, Mrs. Simamane continued to describe some CSR-sounding things that companies/brands could do to to win-over consumers.  Even more brilliant!

“Ensure that there is market stability, reinvest into the country, employ local people and create partnerships with local people – you cannot go to those countries and believe that you can do everything on your own.

“Become a good corporate citizen, pay your taxes, respect the environment and address welfare and health issues of staff.

“Utilise eco-friendly materials and packaging, manage waste efficiently and effectively. Don’t go into Africa with an arrogant attitude. Instead, engage people like real people and not like your slaves.

“Ensure future talent, offer bursaries, develop future skills and improve lives in the countries where you operate. Give excess stock to needy people, get involved in community projects, source from poor communities and establish standards and train.”

You don’t have to listen to me here, but this is coming straight from a leading South African brand strategist!   Her talk supports the notion that there are opportunities for brands to basically build their market; by investing in communities, people, skills, resources you are building a sustainable (and likely loyal) consumer based.  If I was brand in South Africa I would looking at the upcoming World Cup as the perfect opportunity to “educate” the South African (and African) consumer on what I was all about.  As long as it’s authentic and comes from a good place, I think this would position a brand well for growth.

To read the full article go to: http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/82/41215.html

To follow Biz Community on Twitter click on: @Bizcommunity

The African Middle Class is Growing…can CSR help win market share?

A post on the Annansi Chronicle, noted an article in the Economist dated 8/27/09, about the growing middle class across  Africa.  The article starts out with the stereotypical, yet sadly still very true in some areas, description of un- and under-developed Africa:

a place of large families and high fertility, a continent in which societies are under extreme stress and where the young massively outnumber the old. Teeming, environmentally degraded, ravaged by poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS and civil war

But then the Economist article goes on to describe this more encouraging scene:

there is another Africa, an Africa whose people are charting a course more similar to that of the rest of the world: one where they are living longer, having fewer children, and in which more of their children are surviving infancy. Cities are restraining population growth, just as they have in Asia and Latin America. Addis Ababa, Accra, Luanda, may be fetid in parts—shockingly so for those coming from richer countries—but they have low fertility. An emergent African middle class is taking out mortgages and moving into newly built flats—and two children is what they want.

Courtesy of The Economist

And with mortgages, flats, and babies comes greater consumption of stuff.  Those who know me know that I don’t have nor have a need for lots of stuff.  Nor do I encourage a culture of consumption; a cultural mindset that I believe has largely contributed to the current economic situation we’re in now.  But for many Africans and people from other countries who are only now getting the opportunity to participate in the global economy, who am I to say they shouldn’t have their time to shine; their chance to buy that new car or real Nike sneakers?

Now I know the stereotypical and devastating realities of many parts of Africa still need to be addressed.  Basic human rights like shelter, food security, education, and freedom from violence are still denied to millions of innocent victims all across the Continent.  I know this from first hand experience having worked for humanitarian aid organizations and  volunteering in North, South, and East Africa.  It’s disgusting that these disparities still exist.  But some arguments state that with a growing middle class, goes a growing tax base, which may ultimately be the way African countries get their acts together (rather than depending on foreign aid).  I’m not necessarily advocating for this argument, but it is an interesting idea.  I digress though and want to go back to the idea of the growing middle class and opportunities for CSR around the World Cup!

So with this growing middle class comes a growing consumer base.  Marketers should be salivating at this opportunity; sure China and India have more people, but Africa as a continent, isn’t that far behind.  And the upcoming World Cup, widely acknowledged to be Africa’s games, not only that of South Africa, gives marketers a huge opportunity to reach Africans from all over the continent, who will surely be following the games intently.

Now TV, print, and likely digital (due to growth of mobile use in Africa) advertising will probably be effective.  But for #2 or #3 brands, particularly foreign brands which may not be as well-known in some countries, there is a huge opportunity to do some on-the-ground brand activation acts that could build brand-awareness, good-will, and potentially help communities and countries around Africa.

Doing some good now might go a long way in building brand loyalty down the road.  Hope marketers and CSR professionals can take the long-view and think  about opportunities/tactics that can have a lasting impact both for the brand as well as the communities they are operating in.

Full post can be found here: http://annansi.com/blog/2009/08/growing-middle-class-and-africas-demographic-opportunity/

Podcast interview with MTN Chief Marketing Officer

via Google Images

I recently ran across a podcast on the South African site Sporting Web of an interview with Serama Taukaobong, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN on their 2010 World Cup Sponsorship.  It was a very informative interview highlighting some of the leading efforts MTN, a South African company AND official World Cup sponsor, has made in South Africa in the lead up to the games.

I wrote in an earlier post about MTN’s marketing efforts which began about 14 months before the beginning of the games.  At that time, I had yet to see any marketing efforts activated by any of the official sponsors.  I also recently wrote about MTN’s efforts to bring the games to the people by setting up huge screens in townships that will live broadcast the games (for those who can’t afford to make it to the stadiums) as well as broadcast other programming.  These are just a few examples of their efforts to do some good in their community but also build their consumer base and brand, integral components to being a successful and responsible business.

Some tidbits from the interview:

On sponsorship as a part of employee engagement:

It is absolutely critical, I think certainly from an employee’s perspective… So there is also a big sense of unity as well, across cultures, across borders, that this is the one thing that is unifying MTN because I guess the World Cup is not about, put aside your country differences but there is one brand that is actually driving this together and I think that from an employee perspective, from a stakeholder perspective, it is also quite critical.

On the importance of integrating sponsorship and CSR activities into the core business…

And I think what really works for us is actually integrating it into the everyday part of our business, because often sponsorships are left as a standalone entity and not brought in into the core business and that is why you end up having to spend additional leverage budget to make the things stand up above its own.

Mr. Taukaobong brings a refreshing take on the business case for being a good corporate citizen.  Perhaps they feel a greater responsibility since they are a South African company, but I am a firm believer that their efforts, regardless of being South African, will yield dividends in the long run.

Podcast and full text of interview can be found here: http://www.sportingweb.co.za/2009/07/podcast-serame-taukobong-chief-marketing-officer-of-mtn-on-the-2010-world-cup-sponsorship/

Update from South Africa: Caitlin with IBM’s CSC supporting tourism in East London

As was written in an earlier post, a former classmate of mine, Caitlin Halferty, agreed to write some blog posts concerning her experience in South Africa as part of IBM’s Corporate Service Corps.  They are working with the East London Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs to boost capacity for tourism in the lead up to the World Cup.

The following is a quick e-mail I received from Caitlin about her experience so far:

EAST LONDON – Having a great time here. My team is working with the local tourism organizations, both nonprofit and government. We were able to arrange a tour of the second largest township in the country over the weekend, home to more than a million people. It was just an incredible sight – homes that look like shacks to us, with metal pieces stapled to hold the building together, yet the people were so joyous and welcoming. Great experience. We’re also making progress with our clients. I believe we’ll have some concrete and clear insights to offer.

Couple of interesting hurdles this week – the post office workers have been on strike, so I haven’t been able to buy stamps. Electricity went out in major areas of the region, we couldn’t find a gas station that was open to pump gas. Internet connectivity is also very sporadic. Small issues compared to the beautiful area, welcoming people, and all the adventure we’re experiencing!

Tomorrow also marks the beginning of tourism month for the Eastern Cape region of the country. We’re out talking with locals and visitors about all the region has to offer. Its a great (and easy) job! Our goal for this week is to meet with the 2010 committee. I’m not leaving this country until I secure a couple of world cup tickets!

FIFA’s 1Goal Campaign: Please support education for all!

In a recent article on the Footy Boots website I learned about this initiative called 1 Goal, which is a petition campaign focused on ensuring that all children gain access to education (click on the link to sign the petition).  It was recently  launched at Wembley Stadium with the backing of football’s governing body FIFA as well as many top name stars such as Thierry Henry, David James, and Michael Owen among others.

via Google Images

According to the article on Footy Boots,

“In an attempt to urge African governments to provide education to all children, 1 Goal are looking to collect millions of online signatures and are looking for your support.

Footy Boots attended the launch of this charity yesterday, along with a host of top flight, current and retired, players. David James, Aaron Mokoena, Michel Silvestre, Marcel Desailly and Kanu joined host Gary Lineker and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, at the home of English football.

This  initiative, is part of the wider Class of 2015 scheme which hopes that the 75 million children out of school in Africa and the world’s poorest countries will have access to classrooms, teachers and the future that education provides, by 2015.

In the words of Owain James, the global coordinator of 1 Goal, “Football unites the world” and it is the upcoming 2010 World Cup in South Africa where it is hoped the initiative will culminate. It is a global campaign for a global tournament, and it is hoped that the whole football family will be able to create a lasting legacy following the world’s greatest sporting showcase. Not only will the tournament be an exciting and proud moment for the continent, but with 1 Goal the World Cup will mark the start of a better future for children everywhere.

Federico Addiechi, head of corporate social responsibility for FIFA, declared, “The popularity of the FIFA World Cup will enable a wide audience to be made aware of the challenges surrounding education worldwide and to pledge their support to 1 Goal and in doing so helping all kids get the education they deserve,”

The article goes on to state,

“As well as the faces who supported the official launch, other stars behind the campaign include Rio Ferdinand, Thierry Henry, Mia Hamm, former NBA star Steve Nash, and actor Kevin Spacey.

Lastly, according to the site: (which I think is a nice touch),

“1 Goal is not asking for financial support, all the campaign requires is for fans to write their names, for those who cannot.”

I think this is a really nice and brand appropriate initiative for FIFA to throw their support behind.  It’s an important issue that needs to continue to gain attention which the World Cup in South Africa will provide.  It’s not as “sexy” as other important problems such as food insecurity and HIV/AIDS, but having worked with and visited many rural schools in South Africa and Malawi, I know there are too many students who would beg for the chance to get an education, but don’t even have that opportunity.

Hopefully, this initiative will gain a lot of attention and support and encourage (hint, hint – shame) some of the governments in Africa to throw more resources behind education in their countries.

And good on FIFA for recognizing their need to leverage their brand and network to do something good in South Africa and around the continent.

I noticed that Aaron Makoena, captain of South Africa has supported the cause.  It will be interesting to see if some of the other African football stars (Didier Droba, Michael Essien, Samuel E’to, etc.) , now plying their trade in Europe (and making huge bucks) get behind this initiative.  If not – I hope they have something else up their sleeves.

It’ll be very interesting to see the results of this campaign and find out what happens if anything.

For more information on the 1 Goal campaign and/or to sign your name to the electronic petition go to: http://www.join1goal.org/

Guest Post: An Expert’s View on Branding and Sponsorship Activation for World Cup Sponsors

Ken G Kabira, a friend and former colleague was kind enough to write a guest post concerning branding and sponsorship activation around the World Cup.  He is an expert on the subject (and fellow football fan!) having been the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of McDonald’s Japan.

A short bio on the author: Ken G Kabira is a veteran consumer marketing executive with a background in building strong brands as a chief marketing officer both domestically and abroad. He is one of the few CMOs who have served in all three of the private (McDonald’s), nonprofit (NLU), and public sectors (CTA).   He was McDonald’s Japan’s CMO in 2003 and 2004.  Click this for more on his background.

A huge thanks to Ken G!  His post is as follows:

Next year’s FIFA World Cup has twelve top level sponsors signed up.  They are:

FIFA Partners for 2010 Adidas Coca Cola Emirates Airlines Hyundai-Kia Sony VISA

World Cup Sponsors Budweiser Castrol Oil Continental Tires McDonald’s MTN (S. African mobile telecom company) Satyam (Indian business and IT service provider)

These brands have forked over a significant sum of cash to FIFA to be the only brands in their respective categories to be associated with the event. They will spend even more in the execution of their activation plan. But, what is the point of being a FIFA World Cup sponsor?  The conventional answers would be:

• To raise brand awareness
• To build the brand
• To show that the brand is a winner

Needless to say, these are important objectives of any sponsorship, or, for that matter, marketing program. The real questions are, what kind of awareness?  Build the brand to mean what?  So you’re big enough to sponsor the world’s biggest sporting event.  So what? It is a waste of money not to have these questions sorted out at the most strategic level.  Only then can you develop and execute sponsorship activation plan. The following three principles must be kept in mind in shaping a sponsorship program which maximizes the positive impact on a brand.

1. Activate your brand feature: Be clear about what aspect of your brand’s attributes you want to highlight by being part of the World Cup. The key brand feature for McDonald’s that the World Cup sponsorship can take advantage of is Cares for Kids. It wouldn’t make much sense to focus on other features such as its food and affordability. That is why McDonald’s critical activation tactic for the World Cup is the Player Escort program. 1,408 children aged 6 to 10 from around the world will have the opportunity to walk on to the pitch with the players on the starting lineup prior to kickoff of all 64 matches. The children will be recruited globally, and the kids and their parents will travel to South Africa at McDonald’s expense. What better way to showcase that McDonald’s cares for kids?
2. Make it a proof point of your brand value: What does your brand stand for?  How can the World Cup sponsorship be a good way to prove it?  These are the questions to ask when developing the sponsorship activation plan. McDonald’s brand value is to be forever young. Forever, meaning timeless and predictable (familiar menu I never tire of).  Young, meaning always fresh, full of energy, and surprising (a new Happy Meal toy every few weeks, limited time offer menu items, etc.).  They seem contradictory, yet an enduring brand like McDonald’s allows itself to be seen by its customers to be predictable and surprising at the same time. McDonald’s involvement in football in general, and the World Cup in particular, is an important way to express this brand value. The World Cup is forever, but every tournament has a new drama; the narrative may be the same, but we love being part of how it unfolds.
3. Be true to your brand personality: Nothing is a bigger waste of marketing dollars than doing something that is incongruent with who you are.  McDonald’s brand personality is Fun. The execution of the World Cup sponsorship program has to be done with this personality in mind.  It would be wrong for McDonald’s to leverage the competitive aspect of the event.  The joy of victory and the agony of defeat would be the wrong expression for McDonald’s to use. McDonald’s is an egalitarian brand, it exists for everyone.  It’s not a brand that needs to worship heroes, so the activation plan will not involve any specific player or winners of an award (e.g., Golden Boot).  The Player Escort program is meant to bring joy and to be exciting for kids and their families before and throughout the World Cup.

What the World Cup means (and could mean) for business

via Google Images

An article this summer from Web Newswire.com written by Creative Strategies, a CSR strategy firm based in Brussels, discussed the impact the World Cup would have for business, not only in South Africa, but around the globe.

The article noted that by the time the games kick off, R20.5 billion (2.83 billion USD; 1.765 billion GBP) would have been spent on infrastructure projects such as the building of 5 new stadiums and the refurbishment of 5 others, major civil engineering projects such as improving roads and transport systems, and developing the Johannesburg Rapid Transit System linking Johannesburg and Pretoria.  They estimated that around 368,000 jobs (at least temporary jobs) would have been created during the build up to the games.

And during the games, tourism predictions are for inflows of up to 480 000 visitors, spending R 9.3 billion (1.29 billion USD; 800.6 billion GBP) in-country during the event.  This is not an insignificant amount when considering South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2008 was $277.2 billion USD, according to the CIA Factbook.

Further economic predictions are that the national GDP will be boosted with at least R51.1 billion (7.07 billion USD; 4.4 billion GBP) for the period 2006 to 2010, sustaining 196,400 jobs. A further R7.2 billion (996.4 million USD; 620.6 million GBP) is expected to flow back into government coffers in the form of taxes and revenue.

These predictions are great but as I’ve discussed before, economic impact estimates for events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics are often exaggerated in order to “sell-in” the games and they rarely ever deliver the impact that’s promised.

However, ticket sales should be a fairly predictable and real representation of economic impact – I would imagine that ALL games will be sold out; ticket sales alone are estimated at R3.2 billion (442.3 million USD; 275.5 billion GBP), and I’m proud to report that we’ve made our contribution to bringing these estimates to reality.  But it is difficult to make tangible predictions about the impact that will be made in other areas such as tourism, hospitality, merchandise sales, etc.

But the most intriguing part of the article, and is a view I very much share, is what the authors wrote concerning the long-term economic impact the games should and could have for South Africa, and the view businesses should take with regards to the games.

The authors wrote:

For many businesses the true value of 2010 is clearly not to be found in the 33 days of the event itself. Yes, those in tourism, hospitality and sport must surely reap the rewards richly during those frantic days, but a longer term vision is required to truly benefit from the event. The fact of the matter is that when the games are over and everything returns to normal, ‘normal’ would have been redefined, and those who have best read and exploited the dynamics around the event will be the long term winners.

I wholeheartedly agree with this last sentence.  The corporations and brands (international or local) that best position themselves in the mind of viewers and consumers before, during, and after the games (and long-after in my opinion) will be the real winners in the Southern Africa and potentially continent wide market, after the rest of the footballing world begins to make their preparations for Brazil 2014.

The authors goes on to ask the question: “where should businesses who are not direct beneficiaries of the event i.e. sponsors) focus their attention?”

One area the authors point out is:

Innovative public relations and marketing campaigns: These have to be designed and launched to attract both the high number of visitors as well as the 40 billion television viewers across the globe to portray this country as an attractive destination for tourists, businessmen and sports people alike.

This last point is important in my view.  While brands, corporations, the tourism industry, retailers, etc. will want to capitalize on the in-country tourism and the rands that will be spent; marketers must not lose sight of the 40 billion estimated global TV viewers, a good portion of which will be viewers from other African nations who may likely be more receptive to a brand who appears to be engaged in South Africa and the region for the long term.

It will be very interesting to see who (brands, corporations, product lines, etc) emerges as economic powerhouses in South and southern Africa in the years following the games, and if one will be able to make a direct link to the way the company, brand, etc. leveraged the games (or not) for long-term planning.

Economists and social scientists:  here’s a potentially intriguing research topic; to measure the pre- and post games economic impact (market share, sales, etc.) of a handful of corporations in relation to their investment before and during the games.

and

Corporations and sponsors: here’s further fire to the argument that marketing and CSR, if done earnestly, could help position you for long-term success in Southern Africa and the continent as a whole.

A lot to think about.

For full article go here: http://www.webnewswire.com/node/458405

Article on Ad Age: Corporate Social…Opportunity?

The Good Works section of Advertising Age’s website recently had an article titled, Corporate Social Responsibility is Dead: Long live corporate social responsibility.  The article was written by Tim Sanders, author of the book “Saving the World at Work.” (which I haven’t yet read but just purchased!).

The article is based on his belief that the wave of CSR that largely involved reporting on all of the good things a company was doing with regards to their community, the environment, etc. in an annual report, are coming to an end.  He purports that the next wave of CSR is actually something he terms corporate social opportunity.  The way he describes it is like this:

Picking the right walk, then talking about it (strategy plus marketing) is the key. Long live CSO: corporate social opportunities. CSO should be a marketing function, designed to seek out the cutting edge of brand innovation — where a company’s assets intersect with the greater community’s needs. When you find this match, you can produce a sustainable program that inspires sales while it makes a difference.

Right on!  Readers of this blog will know that this is my vision of what good CSR can and should be.  Companies should leverage opportunities to align their brands and their resources with the needs of their community, both because it’s good to do and because it can help inspire brand loyalty and sales.

He continues to state:

As long as marketing is involved on the back end, a positive feedback loop can be created where the company connects with cause, which inspires customers to connect with company. This is likely the future of corporate social opportunity, from taking care of employees (think health care coverage as a CSO) to boosting local communities (think sharing education resources as a CSO) to helping save the planet (think recycling as a CSO). In the end, the business value aligns with the do-gooder in people — helping to create a new breed of sustainability that won’t be canceled or cut to the bone the next time the economy swoons.

I’m glad we have an articulate and widely read advocate for this vision of corporate social responsibility.  I’m a firm believer that if CSR is NOT aligned with the brand and the business, CSR initiatives are at risk to be placed by the wayside at a change of leadership, tough-economic times, or at a whim.  But if an initiative is an integral representation of the brand, the CSR activity should (I hope) continue to persist and make an impact in the community and in the ledger.

How does this relate to the World Cup?  Like I’ve written in earlier posts, I think there are many opportunities for World Cup sponsors (and non-sponsors) to conduct CSR initiatives that align with their brand and can do some real good in the country.  I haven’t seen many manifestations of this yet nor have been impressed with what I have seen so far, but with about 10 months before the games, I can still be hopeful that major World Cup and FIFA sponsors will step up their games and identify and embrace the Corporate Social Opportunities that are out there.

Full article can be found here: http://adage.com/goodworks/post?article_id=139091

Report on CSR around the Globe: The state of CSR in South Africa

csr by asensi

I recently saw a post on CSR International that highlighted the South Africa findings from a recent global CSR report.

The University of South Africa’s Centre for Corporate Citizenship and the Bureau of Market Research conducted research on ethical opinions of consumers in South Africa.  They contributed to the South Africa section in the report titled, Corporate Citizenship Around the World: How local flavors season global practice. This report was co-produced by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and the Global Education Research Network.

Key findings as related to CSR in South Africa (as recorded in the report).

• More than half of South Africa’s metropolitan consumers consider a company’s corporate reputation when they make a purchasing decision.
• 47% of respondents preferred products or services from good corporate citizens – even when they are more expensive.
• 55% of respondents indicate they have bought a product or a service from a company because of its link to charitable causes.
• 69% believe irresponsible companies should be exposed in the media, while 63% say they should be punished.
• Three quarters indicated that government should play a more proactive role in encouraging greater corporate citizenship.
• Over 75% of respondents expected companies to improve the social and environmental impacts of their products and services and 66% expected companies to implement socially responsible practice in their supply chain.
• 40% of respondents said that social responsibility will enhance employees’ respect for the company, while about 60% believed that socially responsible public commitments increase employees’ respect for their place of work.

Authors

National Consumers League & Fleishman-Hillard International Communications

Overall this report is fascinating, providing a snapshot of CSR practices in countries (and cultures) around the world including:

• Germany
• United Kingdom
• China
• The Philippines
• South Africa
• United Arab Emirates
• Brazil
• Chile
• United States

Obviously, for the purposes of this blog, the section on South Africa is particularly interesting.  It’s clear that South African consumers are savvy and socially concerned.  CSR is not just a concern for Western nations and how companies behave in other countries, but is a prominent and real concern of the citizens of those other countries.

World Cup sponsors are you listening?

Here’s some proof that it’s not enough to conduct business as usual and expect that your name on some sideline advertisement is going to buy you good will with the local consumer.  South African consumers care about how their brands behave; they care about the companies they want to affiliate with and how they collaborate with the world around them.

Now how will the World Cup sponsors react?  There’s still plenty of time; brand and business-aligned CSR initiatives are still possible to enact! Who will step up and take advantage and win some of the market and mind share of these socially conscious South African consumers?  This is a challenge that I hope all companies, not just World Cup sponsors, will take on.

For full post click here: http://www.csrinternational.org/?p=4186

To download the full report click here: http://www.unisa.ac.za/contents/colleges/col_econ_man_science/ccc/docs/CorpCitizenshipAroundWorld.pdf

 

Guest post: Nike, CSR in South Africa, and Sport for Social Change

via Google Images

I have recently been in touch with Aykan Gulten, a member of Nike’s Sustainable Business & Innovation team.  He is based in Amsterdam and is responsible for projects in Africa, Europe, and Middle East.  How cool, right?

Aykan also authors the blog Social Agenda where you can learn more about CSR and Nike from an insider’s perspective and his recent trip to Milan for the Homeless World Cup.   You can also  follow him on Twitter @AykanGulten.

He was kind enough to write a guest post about the Sport for Social Change Network Nike has sponsored and facilitated in South Africa.  The pictures included are also from Aykan.  Big thanks to Aykan!!!

Enjoy.

When I discovered “World Cup and CSR” blog, I thought I could contribute. Having been involved in sports based social programs in S. Africa, this is an area which I believe I have valuable experience and knowledge that I can share with people. I am working for “Nike Sustainable Business and Innovation” with a focus on sustainable development projects and partnerships. I had opportunities to visit beautiful S.Africa and observe some great CSR programs on the ground. But instead of writing about those individual programs, I wanted to write about a network initiative for them; Sport for Social Change Network.

The Sport for Social Change Network (SSCN) is a four-year global initiative (2006-2010) using sport to achieve social change. The overall goal of the SSCN is to promote the use of sport as a vehicle to achieve lasting social change. The SSCN is achieving this by contributing to sports initiatives by building capacity of local organizations; increasing the number of sports-based community development programs; contributing to the growing body of evidence which shows how sport can be used effectively in development; and finally, by providing funding to the sport-for-development sector demonstrating the value of sport in development.

In past years Nike has provided support for capacity building to a growing number of sport-based grassroots organizations through the SSCN. The SSCNs have become a key initiative under Nike’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy which seeks to grow a global movement around the use of sport as a tool for social change. Although the network is initiated by Nike, it is not exclusive and it is also open to social programs which are sponsored by the competitors.

Since 2006, together with other SSCN partners, Nike has organized several SSCN workshops and meetings in order to strengthen sport based organizations capacity, networking and sustainability. These workshops focused on topics relevant to the SSCN members such as: gender equity, measurement and evaluation tools, conflict resolution, advocacy, internet fundraising etc.

In November 2008, Nike employees, who are all experts at what they do, delivered training in subject matters where Nike has in-house expertise, such as branding, marketing, event management, digital marketing and storytelling to the representatives of NGO’s from S.Africa and neighboring countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique. More than 50 enthusiastic and energized people from amazing organizations were present; ready to learn, share, make new connections brainstorm ideas and have fun – African style.

During those meetings, digital communication was one of the hot topics and participants from different organizations learned how to use digital technologies to create communities and to promote their good work. As a part of that training, we also created a digital social network for SSCN. If you want to be a member or just simply check out, the link is here:  http://sscn-global.ning.com/

The next step for SSCN is to make partner organizations take more responsibility in driving the activities of the network. In the beginning of 2009, request for proposals has been issued for the “convener role” of SSCN in S. Africa and as a result of the selection process, Altus Sports Vuma has been awarded with the convener role. This is the beginning of the new era and we are all excited about the future of SSCN. There is so much to do in S. Africa before and after the FIFA World Cup.

About the author: Aykan Gulten is a member of Nike Sustainable Business & Innovation team (previously called as Corporate Responsibility). He is responsible for partnering with social projects in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Updated Photos – Guest post: Pre-coverage of Congressional Black Causcus session on “Beyond the World Cup”

I was recently contacted by Tracey Reavis, of Philanthropy Scores, informing me that she was going to be attending a session at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislation Conference this weekend. Tracey is the principal at Philanthropy Scores, a communications consultancy focusing on corporate social responsibility.

The session is covering the topic “Beyond the World Cup: Investment and cultural opportunities between Africa and the US.”  Firstly, I was thrilled to hear that this was a discussion that would be happening in such a large and influential forum.  Secondly, I was even more excited that Tracey was offering to cover and write about the event for this blog!

This is pre-event coverage.  Coming early next week will be Tracey’s notes and write up of the session itself.  Enjoy!

Big thanks to Tracey. Take it away!

Tracey Savell Reavis, a veteran sports journalist and CSR consultant, will be attending a panel discussion entitled Beyond the World Cup: Investment and Cultural Opportunities between Africa and the U.S., during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 39^th Annual Legislation Conference this week in Washington, D.C.

Here’s an On-the-Scene preview of the event:

The conference officially kicked off on Wednesday and I’ve already circled all the workshops and seminars I need to attend in my program book. There are several that will tackle sustainability and social responsibility issues. Top on my list is Beyond the World Cup: Investment and Cultural Opportunities between Africa and the U.S.

I’ve been able to catch up with the spokesperson for Congresswoman Barbara Lee to get more information on her Saturday forum discussion. The session, part of the Foreign Policy & International Relations track, will explore the benefits the World Cup will have on the U.S. and African economic trade relationships. It will also address the outlook of sustaining the opportunities for the U.S and Africa resulting from the World Cup and the World Cup’s positive implications for Africa.

(The panel features congresswoman Barbara Lee, 9^th District, California, and others)

I’m looking forward to hearing the discussion.

Upated: Photo (from an iPhone) from today’s session – write up to follow!

Congresswoman Lee (CA)

Session Panelists

My first interview! Check it out!

Thanks to Casey Brazeal, editor and host of local Chicago blog North And Clark (think south side Chicago mixed with This American Life).

I met Casey through a mutual friend and over a few beers and fish and chips we chatted about what I was writing about, what he was writing about, etc.  What resulted was me answering some questions about CSR and the World Cup.

Big thanks to Casey. You can check out the full e-mail interview here: http://northandclark.net/2009/09/5-questions-about-social-responsibility-with-john-kim/#more-337

But be sure to check out his other stuff – lots of interesting material ranging from a Chicago cop’s view of the 1968 riots to an audio interview of a Guantanamo Bay detainee’s defense lawyer, to anything else in between.

You can also follow him at @NorthandClark

Guest post: On-the-Scene, at the CBCF’s Annual Legislative Conference, Session – Beyond the World Cup: Investment and Cultural Opportunities Between Africa and the U.S.

As reported last week, Tracey Savell Reavis attended a workshop discussing the World Cup and South Africa in DC. Tracey is a Washington-DC based sports journalist and CSR communications consultant. She covers social responsibility issues and initiatives within the sports industry on her website Philanthropy Scores. Below is her report of the event:

Last week I attended the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 39^th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.  I spotted the “Beyond the World Cup” session, and immediately added it to my schedule, intrigued that the topic was important enough to be addressed by the Caucus.

I got an even better sense of the weight of the session when the Rev. Jesse Jackson entered the room and took a seat in the front row. International dignitaries from South Africa, France and Italy sat alongside him. And finally, when the moderator, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole gave her opening remarks, she informed the audience that this session was being webcast.

Congresswoman Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Chair of the African Globalism Committee, opened the discussion explaining the committee’s mission – establish structured opportunities for joint business ventures and technological transfers, educational exchange, and cultural awareness between African Americans, Africans, and other Afro-descendant populations.

“Our goal is to make sure that the U.S. knows Africa matters.”

Myra Fitzgerald, a woman I spoke with before the session, was someone who saw first hand the South Africa of 10 years ago. Back then she worked with the Environmental Protection Agency, developing energy and climate change initiatives for the country.

The post-apartheid government of South Africa had the foresight to solicit global partnerships to address some of their biggest issues in energy, housing, education and healthcare.

“They were aggressive and quite honestly brilliant,” recalls Fitzgerald. “They were eager for advice from Europe, from Asia and from the U.S.”

Fast forward to 2009, and in less than 300 days, South Africa is poised to host the largest sporting event in the world. How they did it – by adopting economical models and building infrastructures with an eye on the future – makes it clear why a committee of U.S. congress members would make trade and investment with Africa one of its top priorities.

One of the panelists, Jerry Vilakazi, CEO of Business Unity South Africa, pointed out that investment in South Africa has led to progress in areas of telemedicine, distance education, IP and HDTV, and peer-to-peer networks.

The South Africa of today is one with cleaner air, improved rail systems and roads, high-tech electrical grids, lower unemployment rates and better healthcare and education. Tourism numbers continue to go up. Neighboring countries have contributed indirectly to South Africa’s progress by improving their transportation systems as well. And when I asked Vilakazi if he believed the companies that had invested in the country’s infrastructure would pull up their stakes when the footballers and their millions of fans left, he indicated no.

“That’s not going to happen,” he said. “These are companies that already have a large footprint there. And when they see the potential for more customers, they will spend money further. More than hope, we are confident the World Cup will showcase South Africa as an investment and trade destination, and a country to do business with in the future.”

After the session I chatted with some people in the audience from South Africa and got my first Diski lesson (click here for video on how to do the dance), the dance the country is asking all South Africans to learn and do to help promote the World Cup. (It seems a little like line-dancing to me, with some football kickish moves added, but maybe I need some more practice).

Hopefully the South Africa beyond the World Cup will be a country that has demonstrated viable sustainability models that can be readily copied by others. And we’ll say all the social responsibility initiatives, like those set forth by the Congressional Black Caucus, made a lasting difference.

Interview with Steve Fleming, CEO of Kick4Life

Jamie Tosh of Kick4Change was nice enough to put me in touch with a contact of his, Steve Fleming, from the organization Kick4Life.  I sent Steve, joint CEO of Kick4Life, the following 5 questions; below are his responses, some photos, and info on how to support Kick4Life’s work!

Thanks much Steve!

1. What is Kick4Life, in a nutshell?

Kick4Life is a charity which uses the power of football to change the lives of some of the most disadvantaged children in the world. Using football to engage and inspire we deliver HIV education and voluntary testing as well as supporting kids through school and onto a better future.

David Beckham and Kick4Life boys

2. How did you start the organization?

Kick4Life was set up by my brother and I in 2005. Initially we did a charity challenge to kick a football across Malawi for 250 miles to raise money for an AIDS orphanage. It was meant as a one-off but turned out to be a life-changing experience and we were inspired to set up an organisation to do further work. We have initially focused our work in Lesotho for a number of reasons: the HIV crisis (Lesotho has the world’s third highest prevalence), a lack of similar programs operating in the country, some fantastic partners who supported our initiative and a real passion for football among the people.

3. How are you linking up with organizations like FIFA? Other corporate partners?

Our main funding partner is the Vodafone Foundation which has supported Kick4Life from the outset. Their support has enabled us to reach more than 20,000 young people with HIV education, and test more than 8,000 for HIV, referring those who are positive to life-saving treatment. We have since established partnerships with UNICEF, Sentebale (Prince Harry’s charity) and a number of other partners.

We are also part of a global network called Street Football World which is partnered with FIFA to deliver the Football for Hope program.

England manager Fabio Capello in Kick4Life tent in Lesotho

4. What sort of activities are you planning in the lead up to, during, and after the World Cup?

It promises to be a very exciting year. Through our relationship with streetfootballworld and FIFA we are taking a team of kids from Lesotho to Cape Town to take part in a festival as part of the World Cup draw. Then during the World Cup we will be taking another team to Festival 2010 to compete against 32 teams from around the world, and to celebrate the use of football as a tool for social development.

In Lesotho we are also planning a two-day football and HIV education/testing festival during the World Cup.

5. How could someone get involved?

Kick4Life in action!

I always say the best way for an individual to get involved is to sign up for one of our Kick4Life All Stars tours. These are two week trips to Lesotho that incorporate football matches against local teams with HIV education. Participants are trained to deliver some of our activities and get to work with hundreds of kids. It also provides a unique insight to a beautiful country. To find out more visit http://kick4life.org/africa2010.htm

For any companies that would like to get involved please get in touch to discuss how we can work together. We have a number of exciting opportunities around the World Cup.

Contact details:

Steve Fleming, Joint Chief Executive

+44 (0) 7710 999 169

steve@kick4life.org

To find out more:

Visit www.kick4life.org

Watch some of our short films www.youtube.com/kick4lifemedia

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

www.facebook.com/kick4life

www.twitter.com/kick4life

Why Olympics might be a bad deal for sponsors; Lessons for World Cup?

Via the Twitter community, I came across a recent article by Kim Skildum Reid published in the blogs section of Harvard Business Publishing.  The article was titled “Why Olympic Sponsorships Aren’t Effective.”  Kim is a Sydney-based corporate sponsorship strategist, co-author of industry bestsellers, The Sponsorship Seeker’s Toolkit and The Sponsor’s Toolkit, and author of The Ambush Marketing Toolkit.

While the author focuses on the Olympics, I believe that the points she makes also apply to the FIFA World Cup, and not only because both events share some of the same mega sponsors (e.g. McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, etc.).  Ms. Reid focuses on the topic of ambush marketing, loosely defined as a company/organization conducting marketing activities to benefit from the spotlight of an event of which they are not the official sponsor.  She writes about sponsors, protecting their “rights” as official sponsors, due to the hefty fees they have shelled out, to fight off the efforts of ambush marketers.  As the author points out, a group of 9 official sponsors are expected to pay more than $1 billion dollars for the rights to sponsor the Rio games.  That’s no small sum.

FIFA and the official World Cup sponsors have been equally effusive about their distaste for ambush marketing.  I agree that sponsors should reserve the right to protect their intellectual property (logos, name, etc.) and if their sponsorship extends to keeping competitor brands/products away from the event, then they have the right to do that as well.  But while sponsors/brands spend their legal might and time to fight off potential ambush marketers and small scale entrepreneurs, they might be taking their eyes off the ball.  When consumers and fans hear more stories of FIFA or one of the huge-multinational corporations like this one where FIFA sued a small entrepreneur or forced a tavern owner to shut their doors, they will be outraged and may likely vote with their dollars and feet to NOT support a company.  And we know now, via tweets, texts, e-mails, etc. word travels fast.

I think the author makes a great point at the end of her article.  It’s not about defending or NOT defending a sponsor’s right to protect their “purchase” but about how a sponsor should engage with the audience they are hoping to influence via their sponsorship.  In this age of interactivity and the expectation of consumers to be courted by brands, it’s no longer enough to have the company name plastered alongside the pitch.  Sponsors/brands need to develop relationships with their consumers.

As the author writes:

“Sponsors need to be able to jump into the crowds, nurture fan-generated content, and engage outside the bounds of the Olympics themselves, where so much of the real action is. And like it or not, to do that, the Olympics needs to be prepared to provide sponsor benefits, including IP, that they will lose control of out there in the wild ether of the Olympic experience.”

So sponsors, I hope you’re listening.  A relationship/bond will not be formed with a consumer just by ensuring they see your company’s name more than a competitors.

While traditional tactics will certainly guarantee a great # of impressions (# of eyeballs that see your name/logo) they don’t guarantee conversions or changes in consumer behavior.  Taking the effort to “jump into the crowds” will show consumers that you care, and consumers will be more likely to take the “jump” with you.

With this in mind, CSR initiatives could be a good way for a brand/company to “jump into the crowd” and really show consumers that you care about them and their community.  Do some good in the community/country that aligns with your brand purpose, and your ROI may be better than the huge dollars spent on traditional sponsorship activities (name/logos on billboards, programs, etc.).

Something to think about.

A link to the original post can be found here: http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/10/olympic_sponsorships.html

And you can follow Kim Skildum-Reid on Twitter @KimSkildumReid

And the Harvard Business Review at @HarvardBiz

United Nations passes resolution in support of 2010 World Cup

via Google Images & UN.org

A recent Media Club South Africa article noted that the United Nations recently passed a resolution in support of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.  As the article states,

“This resolution is the first of its kind and underpins the global support to the commitment of South Africa to not just make this another sporting event, but to ensure that it is based on the agenda for peace, development and stability for Africa – in the hope that these benefits will trickle through far beyond the final whistle.”

Well said, if you ask me.

The article goes on to quote Ban Ki Moon, the current UN Secretary General:

“There is great power in this. It is a time to present a different story of the African continent, a story of peace, democracy and investment,” Ban said at a meeting with Danny Jordaan, the organising committee’s chief executive, at a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on 21 October.

via wikipedia entry

Mr. Moon has enjoyed a long career as a diplomat in South Korea’s foreign service.  In the article, he mentions South Korea’s history of conflict and their recent and successful co-hosting of the 2002 World Cup with Japan, who the have not enjoyed the greatest relationship with.

“Referring to Korea’s own history of conflict, he said the game of football, more than any other sport, united people and built solidarity and consensus. He said the 2010 event would do the same for South Africa.”

Related to the UN’s and Mr. Moon’s recent endorsement, Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 South Africa FIFA World Cup, made an insightful (but with a little jab to the global body) comment saying,

“The UN Secretary General must not only come to the continent when there is war, when he wants to talk about Darfur…He must come to Africa when Africa celebrates, when Africa excels. When there is good news, he must always be there.”

As Mr. Moon alluded to the affect the World Cup had in his home country, Mr. Jordaan went on to state

“the World Cup would play an important role in consolidating the new South Africa. The World Cup is a dream that began in 1994, the first year of our democracy, and is part of our ongoing efforts as a nation to build unity in our country.”

He made a great point further stating that:

“Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is creating circumstances that create hope. The legacy of this World Cup embarks on changing the circumstances of many people through its social legacy projects, job creation and advancements in telecommunications and infrastructure.”

With Mr. Moon’s and President Zuma’s recent open declaration of support for the join1goal campaign, I would like to believe these are not empty words.  Mr. Jordaan and Mr. Moon both make great points that these games are an opportunity to celebrate South Africa’s (and Africa’s) achievements and to potentially change global perceptions of what South Africa and the Continent are all about.  But I sincerely hope that these words are backed up with concrete action and a long-term strategy that will use this event as a catalyst rather than the the cherry to place on top of the cake; the beginning, not a self-congratulatory event to celebrate the job well-done for the last 16 years since the end of Apartheid.

And I say all this being a advocate for the organization.  I did a short stint working for a UN organization, the World Food Program in Malawi.  I’m a believer in what it stands for and represents.  But I’ll also be as vocal a critic as the next person when it comes to their inability to act quickly, their subservience to internal politics which prevent decisive action, and their lack of enforcement power (not their fault; a result of poor design).

With that said, the UN resolution is purely a symbolic gesture.  But I hope that the gravity of this gesture is not lost.  The UN is the world’s organization to encourage peace, prosperity, and humanity.  And football is the world’s games.  Let’s hope that our leaders, in business, government, and civil society, use this opportunity to show the global community what South Africa and Africa can accomplish and can offer.  This could be a watershed moment for tourists, investors, ex-pats, the global development community, etc. to understand and celebrate the potential that is brimming all across the continent.

Great job United Nations and Mr. Moon. I applaud you! Let’s just hope that this resolution, like so many other (more important) UN resolutions doesn’t go unheeded and placed to the wayside, once the rubber hits the road.

For a link to the full post, go here: http://www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1379:un-resolution-supports-sa-2010&catid=46:2010news&Itemid=118#ixzz0VBROycPI

And you can follow Media Club South Africa on Twitter: @MediaClubSA

Share this story using:

Chats with Dzcus WorldCup and Mike from Compton United

I recently had the pleasure to have phone (in-real-life, I know… amazing) conversations with two folks I’ve connected with through the blog and Twitter.  Those folks are @Dzcuz_worldcup and Mike Herman, aka @urbanfocus, CEO of the wonderful organization, Compton United.

Dzcus_worldcup, started a really wonderful wiki for South Africa and World Cup related subjects which can be found here: http://worldcup2010.dzcus.com/ It’s a forum where anyone can ask and answer questions related to the games; questions ranging from logistics i.e. where to stay in Capetown to what the hell “Bafana Bafana” (the name of the South African National team) means!

It’s a great resource and I hope it will continue to grow and be useful.  Look out for a future post from @Dzcuz_worldcup who may introduce some ways to use the Wiki for CSR and social/good purposes!

via comptonunited.org

The same evening I talked to Mike Herman, CEO of Compton United, a wonderful organization in the Compton, Los Angeles area, that uses youth soccer as a youth and community development tool.  They are a really remarkable organization and I’m excited to continue talking with Mike about ways to integrate what they’re doing with some other other social enterprise and World Cup related things.

Also look out for a future contribution from Mike about Compton United and their plans to be in South Africa during the World Cup.

Man, the internet can be used for good things!