People put places on the map
12 March 2013
Whenever a celebrity is linked to an event, media attention increases, which ultimately results in more media exposure for the event and the destination in which it is held, said NMBT CEO Mandlakazi Skefile.
“There are many good reasons why events have formed part of NMBT marketing strategy to attract travellers to tourism destinations. But, what is less spoken about - other than the direct
benefit of the proverbial butts in beds - is the exposure received by the destination through the celebrities linked to the events,” said Skefile.
“Through media exposure of events - sporting and otherwise - Nelson Mandela Bay is brought into the lounges of television viewers, it’s seen by people reading newspapers and magazines, browsing the ‘net or posting on Facebook. When the event attracts high-profile, headline-grabbing celebrities, the media are more prone to cover the event.
“There is no doubt about it - people put places on the map. Whether they are our own treasures from Nelson Mandela Bay like singer Loyiso Bala, former FHM editor Hagen Engler and his wife Nomfundo; South Africans who rave about the Bay, like PJ Powers; or people we have adopted as good ambassadors of South Africa, like FIFA chief Sepp Blatter and footballer Didier Drogba,” said Skefile.
Exposure even spans to what event spectators get up to. The exposure received by Nelson Mandela Bay when socialite Paris Hilton appeared in Port Elizabeth’s North End Law Courts on charges of possession of dagga during the 2010 FIFA World Cup is a case in point.
Skefile said according to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s media monitoring analysis during 2010, the rand value of media exposure reached tens of millions of rands during the Hilton issue.
“Reality is, and unfortunately so, not just good news gets Nelson Mandela Bay’s name into the media. It is often through the controversial deeds of others that we receive exposure. Although the exposure linked to a person doesn’t necessarily impact negatively on the Bay as a tourism destination, we still need to analyse and possibly counteract any risk that could dent the reputation of the Bay,” Skefile said.
While a few negative instances might come to mind in which the Bay has received exposure through the misdeeds of people, Skefile pointed out that there are plenty of positive examples where people contribute to putting the Bay on the map.
“You only have to look at former president Nelson Mandela and the exposure his home province, Eastern Cape, has received over the years when he has attended events.
“Some years ago, a friend of mine picked up a British glossy magazine - Hello! The magazine was filled with beautiful photographs in which there were beautiful people. Then, it jumped out of the pages - photographs of our very own Eastern Cape - right there in this high-end of the market magazine. And the cherry on top was that Britain’s famous princes William and Harry were in the photographs...royalty, alive and well in the Eastern Cape. What exposure! Certainly nothing any of our budgets could buy if we were to equate it to advertising. After bundu-bashing along the Wild Coast, the princes eventually ended up in Nelson Mandela Bay, staying over before they departed for home.
“Can you imagine how many people read the article in Hello! magazine and saw the princes on television riding into Nelson Mandela Bay at the end of their African adventure? The exposure the province and the Bay received through this event arranged by NMBT members Red Cherry was phenomenal.”
Skefile went on to highlight other events being held in the Bay that involve headline-grabbing personalities, among which is the Super Rugby tournament. Apart from our own local rugby playing treasures, the Kings, playing in the tournament, the event will also attract media attention. Super Rugby comprises teams from Australia and New Zealand, but is broadcast in other rugby-playing countries like the UK - a key market for NMBT.
Homegrown Kings captain Luke Watson, is no stranger to the media.
Skefile said not only sport events grab headlines, but also arts and culture. She highlighted the many artists from the province and the Bay who feature regularly in the media. One example being the recent Idols South Africa runner-up, Melissa Allison.
“A television reality programme like Idols attracts lots of media attention, apart from the actual show watched by millions of viewers. In the last Idols three entrants from the Bay were among the top contenders and each strongly linked themselves to their hometown, Port Elizabeth.” Skefile said.
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