2 March 2010:
Gear up for the 100 Day Countdown to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™
Three million tickets. 64 matches. 32 teams. Approximately 450 000 international visitors. A global television audience of more than 26 billion viewers cumulatively. 48 million proud Bafana Bafana supporters. And billions of rands spent on improving South Africa for the long term beyond the World Cup.
This is the spectacle that will greet the world on 11 June 2010 – more than six years after South Africa was chosen as hosts, bringing the largest sporting event in the world to the African continent for the first time.
On Tuesday, 2 March, this celebration of football and of Africa’s humanity will be just 100 days away.
What will you do on 2 March to mark this important landmark for the country and the international football community?
Government, FIFA, the Organising Committee (OC), South African Tourism, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (Brand South Africa) the SABC and a range of partners in the public and private sectors are pooling ideas and initiatives to ensure that 2 March is celebrated with all the passion and vibrancy that the world associates with this young, dynamic country.
The national and global highlight of the 2 March festivities countrywide will be a widely publicised event in Durban where government, the OC and FIFA will jointly start the 100 Day Countdown. The 2010 National Communication Partnership of private and public-sector marketers and communicators will implement activities that will add impetus to this national landmark.
2 March is therefore earmarked as a day on which South Africans, here and abroad, are called upon to demonstrate their excitement for the tournament, and to display their passion for the country and the beautiful game.
It is also a day for previewing how we will open our hearts and homes to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who will soon be driving, flying and sailing to this diverse, scenic and rapidly developing destination at the southern tip of the African continent.
From flying the flag and donning Bafana Bafana kit, to feasting on homegrown meals and music, 2 March is a celebration of what the country has already achieved in preparing for the tournament, and a chance to get our hearts and minds into the spirit of the FIFA World Cup.
So, what can you do on 2 March?
“Fly the Flag” on the day!
The 100 Day Countdown builds on the “Fly the flag” initiative, which brings together all who live in South Africa around the country’s national symbols and anthem, and expresses support for Bafana Bafana.
Organisation and institutions are invited to host events at midday (12 noon) on 2 March, enabling staff, clients and partners to sing the national anthem, wear the Bafana Bafana kit, dance the Diski and acknowledge the flag.
Mini-football, football quizzes, chats about what makes us good hosts and good football supporters and discussing ways in which football can bring us closer as a nation, are among the activities that could serve as in-house team-building exercises.
Of course, a simple braai will add to the feel-good factor!
Create awareness about the importance of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and communicate the important role each of your audiences creates in nation-building.
Make Football Fridays a standard celebration in your home, community and office
Each Friday, before and after 2 March, encourage those around you to wear the Bafana Bafana kit and create a “sea of gold” on the streets and inside the stadium when the national team plays. Information on official Bafana Bafana merchandise and licensees can be obtained on the website: SLAM. So, wear your shirt from now onwards, fly your flag and learn the national anthem. Many companies are already hosting Football Fridays and some activation can be viewed on the website: Football Friday.
Get into shape with the Diski Dance
The Diski Dance can provide fun and team-building, promoting excitement and national unity. Official Diski dancers can be booked to come to your offices and teach your staff the Diski Dance or add additional excitement at a client function. Please refer to the corporate Diski Pack for more information on how to book your Diski dancers via the website: South Africa 2010.
Distribute Proudly South African (made in South Africa) nation-building collateral to be given to your stakeholders on Football Fridays
For organisations, a great way to ignite excitement and national pride is to distribute various collateral elements to stakeholders, including:
- South African flags
- South African beanies and scarves
- South African branded vuvuzela’s
- credit-card size face-painting kits and more.
Individuals and communities can also showcase their participation in many creative forms, whether it is through clean-up campaigns, tree planting and many other activities that involve communities to create long-term legacies that we all can be proud of.
Take the World Cup into the classroom
The passion of South Africa’s youth can be unlocked through 100 Day Countdown activities at schools and campuses where curricular or extra-curricular programmes could be used to focus learners’ and students’ attention on the 2 March celebration.
Graphic and performance art, essay compilations or competitions, the Diski Dance and other options could be used to mobilise young people.
For more information and to discuss ways you can get involved, please contact:
Sugen Pillay
South African Tourism: Global Events Manager
Email: Sugen@southafrica.net
Tel: (011) 895 3016
Bulelwa Zimba
International Marketing Council of South Africa: Marketing Coordinator
Email: bulelwaz@brandsouthafrica.com
Tel: (011) 483 0122
Kholiswa Kleinbooi
Government Communications (GCIS)
Email: kholiswa@gcis.gov.za
Tel: (012) 314 2173
