This article was originally published in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025
General Manager Marketing,
Brand South Africa
South Africa is at a pivotal moment, introducing bold economic reforms and positioning itself as a resilient and dynamic economy. Brand South Africa too is now under new management. What are your priorities for this new chapter?
The new government of unity presents a fresh opportunity to redefine what we stand for as the people of South Africa. This will ensure alignment between our national identity and the policy positions taken regarding structural reforms. Our priorities remain focused on improving the business climate. While we have noted positive movement in the latest Global Soft Power Index in business climate, there is much more to be done to strengthen our position.
Showcasing South Africa as a stable, innovation-driven economy; repositioning South Africa as a global leader in key sectors such as green energy, digital transformation, and creative industries; and, lastly - and possibly most importantly - fostering social cohesion by telling positive stories that reflect our people, their achievements, and our values of ubuntu, diversity, and resilience.
This year, South Africa climbed two places in the Index, overtaking Argentina and Mexico. Familiarity and Influence have both entered the top 30, reflecting a growing recognition of South Africa’s international presence. What factors do you think have contributed to this positive momentum, and what initiatives are being launched to further elevate South Africa’s global standing?
This can be attributed to the overall improvement in the reputation of South Africa’s nation brand, as demonstrated in the latest Global Soft Power Index. This reputation is driven by various dimensions, including sports, tourism, influential diplomatic circles, and culture & heritage. This indicates that more people are becoming aware of South Africa in these areas - and rightfully so, as we have seen strong performances in various sporting codes, success in the creative arts space with South Africans winning awards on global platforms, and continued advocacy for human rights.
I further believe that our commitment to structural economic reforms - such as energy sector stabilisation and supply diversification, investment-friendly policies, and infrastructural development - will continue to positively impact the reputation of our nation brand.
Brand Finance has recently completed a brand value and brand strength analysis for South Africa. How has this data been incorporated into your strategy to enhance South Africa’s competitiveness on the world stage?
The insights from Brand Finance’s nation brand valuation project have been instrumental in shaping our strategic approach to strengthening South Africa’s global competitiveness. Data-driven strategies are imperative, and our focus will be on continuously raising the bar in areas where we already perform well.
We will implement nuanced strategies to ensure that we effectively reach diverse audiences across different markets and nation attractiveness pillars. A key priority will be communicating our ongoing economic reforms to restore confidence in South Africa’s investment environment. This requires adopting a tailored messaging approach that aligns with the critical decision-making drivers for each target country.
Finally, by actively shaping both domestic and international reputation drivers, we can enhance economic growth opportunities, secure more favourable trade terms, and drive growth in key sectors such as tourism and foreign investment.
