How Supporting Bafana is like a Parent supporting their Child

With all the media and marketing attention directed towards really getting the country behind Bafana Bafana... A question popped into my head.

What are we doing now that is different to what has been done in recent years?

And just for all you Coach Couch Potatoes... I am referring to what is been done away from the soccer pitch:-) And the answer is simply this...

All form of marketing and advertising communication is conveying one universal message, with the exception of one or two wayward newspapers... GET BEHIND BAFANA BAFANA!

I mean, I can only recall two accounts in which a similar event took place, where all advertising and marketing communication (although promoting totally different brands, products and services) conveyed the same message.

And the two events were when the Springboks won the World Cup in 1995 and Bafana Bafana won the AFCON 1996. I mean, what I am getting at is the following...

During the period in which there was close to no communication to rally up fans and support for Bafana Bafana before they play in either previous tournaments or international games, moral used to be so low that Bafana Bafana supporter could sit on the edge of a one rand coin and still not touch the ground?!

But when we mix consistent moral support building marketing and advertising communication into the mix of a great technical and coaching support structure... We have instance of a team that is not only receiving words of encouragement from their coaching team but also an entire country.

The best way of rationalizing this lies in using the following analogy...

Imagine a child who had every single thing needed to excel a particular sport....

Now, add to that a parent who wouldn't be too bothered to show his child support in this sport of interest to them. However, the only support the child gets is from their teacher at school. Now, can we really expect the child to excel in that sport?

But now imagine a situation where dad encourages and echoes the sentiments shared by the teacher in letting their child understand that they are supported on all fronts will produce a child who can feel like he can like he can achieve the impossible.

So, what is the secret to the recent success we have seen in Bafana Bafana...

I would like to believe that it is a combination between a great technical and coaching structure plus an absolutely phenomenal universal, consistent marketing and advertising campaigns that simply says..."Let's Get Behind BAFANA BAFANA!"

From the Sidewalk Kultivation desk...

Wishing our boys a great Fifa World Cup tournament!