SA's cutting edge, high-tech 2010 marketing

"Our technologically advanced marketing means that every visitor to Frankfurt International will know that South Africa is Alive with Possibility," says Yvonne Johnston, CEO of the IMC of South Africa.

South Africa is, almost literally, all over Frankfurt International Airport, ensuring up to 4 million people have the opportunity of being exposed several times to our various advertising messages throughout the airport:

Cherry on top are the two Holografx machines, a South African customised invention, that have been taken by the IMC to Europe for the first time. Through a laser lens, these project eye-catching 3D images a metre in the air - creating a novelty factor at the airport as people try to 'catch' the images from the air. All the advertising is subtitled in English and German.

Edward Vorster of Holografx, marketers of the machines, explains the appeal of the free-standing images. "It's the unexpectedness of seeing 3D images hovering in the air that makes this marketing strategy so unique - cutting through the advertising clutter."

Two Vision Walls have been set up in high traffic exhibition areas. Each wall consists of nine plasma screens put together in a 3x3 checkerboard pattern. They depict the IMC's adverts, subtitled in German, French, Spanish and Portuguese, as high-resolution dynamic visuals, made possible as the Hi-Vision sets are very thin.

City Light posters, which are big framed lit-up posters with scrolling facts on South Africa, have been placed at the entrances and exits to the airport.

Column wraps cover the big columns at the drop-off zones at the airport, branding South Africa as the place where anything is possible.

Exhibition

As the 2006 World Cup draws to an end, the IMC will be taking part in an exhibition in Berlin to further strengthen its marketing message. Also at the exhibition will be the Government Communication and Information Service, the Local Organising Committees (those at the coalface at municipal level where the hard organising tasks have to be done) and representatives of all the host provinces. Some 3000 international journalists are expected to visit the exhibition.

Addressing journalists at the IMC media briefing earlier this week for showing off the technology, Victor Julius, the deputy director general for the National Department of Arts and Culture, said that the way the country is presented in Germany underlines that there is more than wildlife to be seen in South Africa.

"People will get the message that this country is modern, interesting; has dynamic, cutting edge arts and culture; is full of possibilities and is ready to host the next World Cup."