This time next year, we'll all be hung over from the massive football fiesta that will dominate our thoughts, our press and our lives for the next 350-odd days. The final whistle will have blown and, hopefully, through the semi-deflated, post-euphoric debris of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we'll emerge as a stronger, unified, proud, popular and slightly wealthier nation.
If South Africa can pull off this event with the style, panache and uniquely African charm that surges through all of us, then the eyes of the world that were glued to their televisions for a month will turn into feet stepping off planes at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airport. And the dollars, pesos, euros and pounds that those foreign visitors bring in will continue to enrich the country long after the final plastic cup is collected from under a dusty, deserted stadium seat.
For South Africa, and Africa as a whole, the FIFA World Cup is much more than a month-long soccer tournament. It's an opportunity to show-off to billions of people around the world. It's the ultimate product placement advertisement. "Watch your soccer superstars playing in our backyard. You've seen the ad, now buy the product."
Every soccer-related advertisement, press release, brand, event and sponsorship adds to the collective opportunities that the FIFA World Cup provide in terms of presenting Africa in its best light. Even though the World Cup itself lasts a month, those opportunities to be seen and remembered as being part of this World Cup last from now until well into 2011. And, without treading on FIFA's strict anti-ambush marketing toes, those creative people and media strategists should be paying attention to every possible platform, space and event to capitalise on this once-in-a-lifetime soccer spectacular.
So, as a nation and a continent, we have less than a year to create the best possible advertisement we can muster. This will be the "Ad of a Lifetime" and we need to start putting it together right now. While the stadiums are being built, and the teams being trained, our advertising and media gurus need to be conceptualising, planning and creating the "South Africa Ad".
We need to transform that surging African charm into the gushing African spirit that shows the world how amazing this country really is.
