The many visitors (this figure varies depending on the source) who will pour into the country during the event will boost opportunities in accommodation, health services, travel services, short-term insurance, event management, logistics, arts, crafts and entertainment. These businesses will need branding, the question is - has the sign industry helped the nation get ready by branding South Africa?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup and for four weeks South Africa will be the centre of the world as approximately 3 million spectators watch 200 viewing hours on 300 broadcasters, showing 32 teams, 64 matches in 9 cities at 10 stadiums. The sign industry has a definite roll to play in branding our country and the supporters.

The stadiums are ready and the supporters are coming. Airlines are already fully booked and the fourth sales phase of tickets was launched on the 9th of February and will run until the 7th of April. A total of 1,206,865 tickets have been requested from 192 countries by the general public (excluding those tickets that have been sold through the participating teams to their fans). The World Cup will lead to other areas of work that are not venue and date specific. For example, companies are rebranding their stores and look to be fresh over this time.

FLY THE FLAG FOR FOOTBALL TOOLKIT

This handy toolkit was put together to get South Africans and businesses in South Africa united behind Football, our team and our country. This document put out by the Government Communications can be downloaded at: http://www.brandsouthafrica.com/index.php/marketing-materials.html
This toolkit covers the following elements and then gives a list of prizes and give-aways that they encourage businesses to support local suppliers in and around our communities.

1. FOOTBALL FRIDAYS

Southern Sun launched Football Fun Days, encouraging its 6 000 staff members to don their favourite football jersey every Friday, in order to "start 'living' the message that soon we will be hosting the world's largest football event. In August 2009 South Africa's major 2010 partners acknowledged the power and simplicity of Southern Sun's initiative, and decided to take it national, under the banner of the Fly the Flag for Football campaign. Read more about Football Friday at http://www.southafrica.info/footballfridays/footballfridays.htm

2. FLY THE FLAG FOR FOOTBALL

It's a potent symbol of unity and progress. It's the only six-coloured national flag in the world. It's also one of the youngest, yet whatever shape it takes – and it's taken more than any other national symbol – it's instantly recognisable to South Africans everywhere. If you plan to use the flag check out the South African flag guide at: http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/flagguide.htm

Use of the flag in artefacts and products is subject to the approval of The Presidency http://www.thepresidency.gov.za and, in the case of manufactured items, the Department of Trade and Industry. When I phoned the DTI to get permission to print the SA flag they said that you would need to contact the Department of Arts & Culture for authorization: (012) 441 3000/ Themba Mabaso (012) 441 3223/ (012) 441 3229 Mava Mothiba. http://www.dac.gov.za/aboutDAC/nationalFlag.html

Opportunities outlined in the toolkit that Sign Companies or printers could run with:

Brand the wall or fence of your building – who better to do this than a sign company that can print the flag on to a wide format printer on a suitable substrate and then mount it on a wall or fence of office buildings for their clients? Why stop there, we can brand the windows, glass doors, garage doors, brick walls, roof, drive way, parking bays and more.

Decorate the reception area and/ or boardrooms with large flags

Give aways and prizes for staff:
• hand held flags
• flag branded mugs
• ‘fly the flag’ bumper stickers
• ‘fly the flag’ screen savers

3. THE DISKI DANCE

Start learning the soccer-based moves of South Africa's diski dance and you'll start feeling the rhythm of African football – and the energy and passion that's in store for the world at the 2010 FIFA World Cup! You can watch the video online, but why not suggest to your clients to print posters with the basic moves for their staff to learn? Check it out at http://www.southafrica.info/footballfridays/diski-dance2.htm

4. THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Let’s learn the anthem and sing it proud, the whole world will be listening. Why not suggest to your client that they print these words and display them in a prominent place in their office or print them on a coaster for staff and clients.

5. PRIZES AND GIVEAWAYS

These are items that you or your clients can give away as gifts or prizes to staff. All of these items could be personalised or branded:

Staff personalised Bafana Bafana football jerseys – these can be personalised by signmakers with silk screening, t-shirt presses, embroidery machines, and rhinestone decoration.

Vuvuzelas – This noise-making trumpet of South African football fans, has come to symbolise the sport in the country. These can be personalised with pad printing, silk screening or stickers.

Makarapas - Watch any major South African football match, and two pieces of paraphernalia immediately stand out: one the now widely known vuvuzela trumpet, and the other the makarapa - the modified, decorated miners' helmet unique to
South African soccer fans. After lengthy discussions with the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC), FIFA finally relented, opting to allow the vuvuzela and the makarapa to be wielded and worn inside the stadiums.

Keyrings – an item that is easily manufactured by a sign maker with a print and cut machine and doming facilities or engraving equipment.

Earrings – same as above, or with beads, etc.

Bandanas – sign makers with a textile printer or screen printing facilities or t-shirt presses can do these.

Wrist bands – sign makers with a textile printer or screen printing facilities or t-shirt presses.

Caps - sign makers with a textile printer or screen printing facilities or t-shirt presses or embroidery machines.

T-shirts - sign makers with screen printing facilities or t-shirt presses or embroidery machines.

Ties - sign makers with a textile printer or screen printing facilities.

Coasters in the form of soccer balls - sign makers with a digital printer or screen printing facilities.

Soccer stress balls - sign makers with a pad printing or screen printing facilities.

Soccer ball USBs – personalised by sign makers with engraving, pad printing or screen printing facilities.

Welcome mats – made of Astroturf, or printed vinyl and applied to the floor, carpet printing, etc.

The toolkit provides contact details for five companies but ends off saying – ‘better yet, support a local supplier in and around your community’! This is great news, as it means that our industry can do this! Get into the spirit of football, get your clients into the spirit, and inspire them to support Football Fridays by wearing shirts and makarapas, blowing vuvuzelas loudly, while singing the national anthem proudly!

As a sign company or printer you can generate business just by offering your clients the following: vehicle wrapping, fleet branding, Mass customisation such as wrapping laptops, phones, MP3 players, cars, walls, windows, etc., building wraps, floors, table tops, bar top and table top graphics, Off and on public transport (rail, bus, plane, ferry, taxi, tram), ATMs, Window and Wall/Pillar advertising, outside and inside a super or hyper markets, outside and inside a bar, club, pub, restaurant or hotel, inside an office or other building with a vending machine, outside and inside a small retail shops, static signs, fascia’s, awnings, canopies and blinds, POP graphics on floors, digital signage, sponsored direction signs, surround wall graphics and banners, seat back and bulkhead advertising, shop exterior swing signs and posters banners, wall graphics on building exterior walls, graphics on pavements, umbrella’s, gazebos, rear projection screens and projectors, etc.

IMPORTANT 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP DATES:

• 2 March – 100 day countdown
• 27 April – Freedom Day
• 12 May – 30 day countdown
• 11 June – Official 2010 FIFA World Cup kickoff!

KE NAKO! IT’S TIME NOW!
Websites referenced for this article: