News
Football Fever Hits Garden Court |  | 
Beyond the 90 minutes on the soccer field, the promise of a tourism boom has been one of the most anticipated outcomes of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Garden Court, a hotel chain within the Southern Sun stable, has done more than ensure that guests have a speedy check-in, a great night’s sleep or a delicious breakfast buffet.
In order to give guests a truly South African welcome, Garden Court Sandton City, the flagship hotel in Gauteng, has recently given its exterior and interior a ‘football fever face lift’ by installing bright, eye-catching welcome branding. “Our brief was to design branding that both local and international guests would immediately identify with and feel warm and welcome,” says Warren Green, operations director at Umlilo Brands. “It’s also about honouring and recognising the enormity and historical significance of this humungous event”.
The Garden Court philosophy is that “a great day begins and ends with a great stay”. “We’re sure that fans and visitors will agree,” concludes Green.
Football branding will soon appear at other Garden Court hotels in and around Gauteng. Watch this space. |
Indaba 2010 is the best yet | |
INDABA is the largest tourism marketing event on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar. “This show has been in existence for over three decades and is an institution in the travel and tourism industry,” says Shaun Brickell, managing director of Umlilo Brands. “This year’s INDABA, held from 8 – 11 May 2010, was one of best ever, particularly as the tourism and hospitality industry is set for a boom as fans and tourists arrive for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in a few weeks”.
For the past 10 years, Umlilo Brands executives have been involved in various marketing and branding elements at INDABA. “The sponsorship management and branding activation thereof, has been one of our key deliverables at INDABA for the last 10 years. We are very pleased that, even in the midst of the global recession, we were still able to procure substantial sponsorship revenue for South African Tourism,” continues Brickell. INDABA showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa's best tourism products, and attracts international visitors and media from across the world. INDABA is owned by South African Tourism and is held at the International Convention Centre in Durban, Kwazulu Natal. To learn more please visit www.indaba-southafrica.co.za Umlilo Brands continues to play ball with SOCCEREX | |
“The 2009 edition of Soccerex was our third year working on this prestigious event and we’ve used our year on year working experience to enhance our delivery each time. It also helps that we’re crazy about soccer and very passionate about branding,” enthuses Shaun Brickell, managing director of Umlilo Brands.
Umlilo Brands has been invited to project manage all the branding elements at 2010 Soccerex from the conceptualisation of the brand style guide through to managing and delivering all production thereof. “This work has given us access to an international market and we’re over the moon about working with Soccerex again,” says Brickell. Soccerex brings thousands of football industry executives together over five days over networking, socialising and learning and is held in the FIFA World Cup™ host country in the years preceding this gigantic tournament. |
Following the success of the agency’s brand activation work for the 2007 to 2009 Soccerex held at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, Umlilo Brands was recently invited on a site visit to Rio, venue of the 2010 Soccerex and one of the host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil.