Brand South Africa: Dutch Impressions of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ Simon Arthur Christopher Freemantle 13586769 Assignment/Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (International Studies) at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Dr. Janis van der Westhuizen March 2007 I Declaration I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this research assignment/thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Signature:……………………….. Date:…………………………….. II Abstract This thesis aims to assess what perceptions a sample population of Dutch students in Amsterdam have of South Africa from a broad range of social, political and cultural indicators. Until now, research into the existent perceptions regarding South Africa in the international community has been limited, which has implications for the formulation of its branding strategies and the possibility of their successful implementation at a crucial stage in the development of the country’s international reputation. Based on a theoretical framework which assumes the potential of nation branding for developing states, this thesis aims to provide an assessment of several historical and contemporary challenges faced by Brand South Africa, the most salient of which are linked to the fundamental need for consistency in the promotion of the nation’s identity. This analysis introduces the empirical research upon which the study is based and thereby explains the ambiguous nature of South Africa’s post-Apartheid brand identity. III Opsomming Hierdie tesis poog om die persepsies van ’n groep Nederlandse studente oor Suid- Afrika te evalueer vanuit ‘n breë spektrum maatstawwe, nl. sosiaal, polities en kultureel. Tot nou toe was daar ’n tekort aan navorsing oor bestaande persepsies van SA in die internasionale gemeenskap en hierdie tekort het belangrike gevolge vir die land se handelsmerkontwikkeling (‘branding’) strategieë en die moontlikheid van hierdie strategieë se suksesvolle implimentering gedurende ‘n belangrike fase in die ontwikkeling van die land se buitelandse reputasie. Gebaseer op ’n teoretiese raamwerk wat die aanname maak dat ontwikkelende state die potensieël het om hulleself te handelsmerk, poog hierdie tesis om ’n samevatting te wees van die mees belangrikste geskiedkundige en kontemporêre uitdagings wat Handelsmerk Suid- Afrika moet oorkom. Die grootste van hierdie uitdagings is die fundementele behoefte aan konsekwentheid in die bemarking van ’n staat se identiteit. Hierdie analise lê die empiriese navorsing waarop die studie gebaseer is voor en verduidelik daardeur die dubbelsinnige aard van post-Apartheid Suid-Afrika se handelsmerk identiteit. IV Acknowledgments • Dr Janis van der Westhuizen at the University of Stellenbosch for his expert supervision. • The International Office of the University of Stellenbosch for facilitating the exchange programme with the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, which enabled me to conduct the empirical research upon which this thesis is based. • Dr Anthony Leysens for his endorsement of my exchange and his administrative support. • Professor Peter Van Ham at the Clingendael Institute for International Relations. V Contents Chapter 1 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.1.1 Globalisation and the retreat of the state 3 1.1.2 Power in the International System: ‘From Hard to Soft’ 4 1.1.3 Soft Power in the Information Age 5 1.1.4 Nation Branding 7 1.2 Conceptualisation 8 1.3 Literature Review 10 1.4 Framework for analysis 13 1.5 Problem Statement 17 1.5.1 Research Question 18 1.6 Aims and Significance 18 1.7 Methods and Limitations 19 1.8 Overview 25 Chapter 2: Brand South Africa: ‘Uncovering the Cover-Up’ 27 2.1 Introduction 27 2.2 Brand South Africa’s shift from Apartheid to democracy 28 2.2.1 Branding South African culture 30 2.2.1.1 Sport 31 2.2.1.2 Sport after 1994 33 2.2.1.3 2010: Africa’s time has come 35 2.2.1.4 Cinema 36 2.2.1.5 Cinema after 1994 39 2.2.1.6 Cultural Ambassadors 41 2.2.1.7 Music 43 2.2.1.8 Music after 1994 45 2.3 Moving on from Mandela: Mbeki and Brand SA 47 2.4 Conclusion 50 VI Chapter 3: Dutch Impressions of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ 52 3.1 Introduction 52 3.2 Trend 1: Juxtaposition of positive and negative attributes 55 3.2.1 Political and Economic power 63 3.3 Trend 2: Lingering association with Apartheid 70 3.4 Trend 3: The representation of South African culture 78 3.4.1 Sport 79 3.4.2 Film and Literature 83 3.4.3 Language 88 3.4.4 Food and wine 91 3.4.5 Religion and Tradition 95 3.5 Trend 4: Product and country brands 96 Chapter 4: Conclusion 103 Bibliography 106 List of Tables and Figures Table 1 Top associations with SA 57 Table 2 South African Universities 61 Table 3 SA and the UN Security Council 64 Table 4 SA’s comparative economic status 66 Table 5 SA, Africa and the West 67 Table 6 Gay marriage in SA 70 Table 7 Greatest problems facing the South African government 73 Table 8 Racial and religious tolerance in SA 74 Table 9 Recognition of SA sportsmen 81 Table 10 SA and 2010 82 Table 11 Recognition of SA celebrities 86 Table 12 Recognition of SA cultural indicators 87 Table 13 Language in SA 88 VII Table 14 SA wine 92 Table 15 Recognition of South African brands 100 Appendix A 113 VIII List of abbreviations and acronyms: AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ANC: African National Congress BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation BVSC: Buena Vista Social Club CEO: Chief Executive Officer CNN: Cable News Network COSATU: Congress of South African Trade Unions DVD: Digital Video Disk FAWO: Film and Allied Workers committee FBF: Film and Broadcasting Forum FBSC: Film and Broadcasting Steering Committee FIFA: International Federation of Association Football GDP: Gross Domestic Product HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus IMC: International Marketing Council IMF: International Monetary Fund IOC: International Olympics Commission IT: Information Technology MA: Masters NEDLAC: National Economic Development and Labour Council NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation NP: National Party PM: Prime Minister PR: Public Relations SA: South Africa SAA: South African Airways SAB: South African Breweries SABC: South African Broadcasting Commission SADC: Southern African Development Community SAN-ROC: South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee SASA: South African Sports Association IX SRSA: Sport and Recreation South Africa UCT: University of Cape Town U.K.: United Kingdom UN: United Nations US: United States UvA: University of Amsterdam VCR: Video Cassette Recorder WEF: World Economic Forum WSSD: World Summit on Sustainable Development WW2: World War Two X