Dave Varty, co-founder and owner of the iconic private game reserve, Londolozi, is one of the fascinating keynote speakers set to take the podium at the upcoming, first of it’s kind, Brands & Branding for Good Conference.

The conference will have a major focus on brand relationships with increasingly socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers, and will allow both speakers and delegates to reflect on the lessons of the past year, and focus on the demands and opportunities that lie ahead as the country moves out of the recession and into the excitement of 2010.

Londolozi is where the original sustainable conservation development model was conceived, and through this famous wildlife paradise, Varty and his family have completely changed conservation across Africa. “Sustainability was always in our DNA,” Varty explained, “Londolozi is a Zulu word that means ‘Protector of All Living Things’. We never set out to make a brand, but we were always authentic and original from the beginning and woke up later with a brand that was an international icon.”

Merging commercialism with sustainability is the new world order and brands that realise this now and fundamentally reassess their point of view will maintain their leadership positions in the years ahead. “As long as conservation is not money-making, it is not sustainable,” Varty said, and this thinking seems to hold true for all issues of sustainability, and money-making, for that matter.

Londolozi is a keen example of a brand that has weathered it all, from humble, small beginnings as family-owned game lodges in the seventies, evolving into an authentic and award-winning brand that is synonymous with conservation style and a people centred approach. An incredible journey that meshes lions, buffaloes and the savannah with the suits and ties of many a corporate boardroom, Varty has come full circle back to the original Londolozi, the founder of eco-tourism.

Amongst other themes, Varty will discuss the delicate balance and ‘double edged sword’ that exists between wild natural areas and the impacts of the commercial safari industry, investigating how this creative tension can be used to advance the green frontiers of South Africa. Importantly, he will also explore the differences between true sustainability, “green washing”, and what the future holds for maintaining our quality of life on this planet.

OgilvyEarth came out with a ground-breaking report where 2009 was referred to as the ‘Dawn of the Age of Sustainability’. The authors assert that in this new order, “sustainability is an economic issue, opportunity and imperative”, driving shared prosperity and offering a huge opportunity for brand reinvigoration and reinvention.

Publisher and conference organiser, Ken Preston, commented, “Interestingly, the research revealed that consumers are quick to point out that “green is a very different idea – about the environment, not people. They are interested in the sustainable economy, rather than the green economy. However, the two are not mutually exclusive: US President Barack Obama phrased it so well when he said: ‘The choice we face is not about saving our environment and saving our economy. The choice we face is between prosperity and decline,’” he quoted.

“The question came up: How focused are South Africa’s brands and what in this regard can we do to assist them to remain relevant to consumers whose values and behaviours are shifting to align with the goals of the sustainability agenda. Out of this, the idea for the Brands & Branding For Good Conference was born.”

Preston emphasised that the conference will not dwell on “green” brands but rather tie in to the very real concept of sustainability. “Branding is at the heart of the sustainability debate because it is the interface between the forces of production and consumption and, global economic downturn or not, consumers are influenced by social and environmental branding issues. Furthermore, there is no doubt that responsible brands are more attractive to consumers.”

Varty will take the podium alongside a high calibre line-up of overseas and local speakers that includes Seth Farbman from OgilvyEarth; Derek Carstens, marketing and commercial chief officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee; Leslie Pascaud, director for Responsible Marketing Practice from Added Value, Paris; and Prakash Patel, head of Digital & Interactive from Draftfcb South Africa.

Chairing the first and second days of the conference respectively will be well-known though leaders Andy Rice of Yellowwood Future Brand Architects and Jeremy Sampson of Interbrand Sampson Group.

This is the ‘must attend’ event of 2009 for anyone involved in branding, image management, public relations, brand and corporate communications, external affairs, marketing communications, advertising and promotions, consumer insights and sustainability. Delegates fees are being kept at least 30% below the level of other less significant branding events staged over the past three years. And, included in the delegate fee of R 5 200 for the two-day conference is a copy of both Brands & Branding 2009 and Joburg! Towards 2010. There are also substantial savings for those booking early, as well as those making multiple bookings.

Taking place on 20th/21st October at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, the conference will offer a handsome ROI, inspiring and assisting delegates to place greater emphasis on sustainable initiatives and create business success through improved efficiencies, enhanced brand image and relationships with consumers and stakeholders.

Bookings via lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za.

Award-winning Jeunesse Park, founder, fund raiser and marketing of Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), International Advisory Board member for OgilvyEarth and expert on carbon footprints and eco-branding, is set to address delegates at the upcoming Brands & Branding for Good Conference (www.brandsandbrandingconference.co.za) – the first conference of its kind in South Africa to include a major focus on brand relationships with increasingly socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers.

According to publisher and conference organiser, Ken Preston, the current global financial crisis has combined with social and environmental concerns and prompted a shift in consumer attitudes when it comes to sustainability – meaning that brands need to dramatically reassess how they will achieve leadership positions in the years ahead.

“There are great opportunities for brands, especially with climate change,” said Park, “to educate and raise awareness through their branding and actions. FTFA has done a lot of eco-branding for companies that want to align their brand and Corporate Social Investment (CSI) with this shift in consumer thinking towards sustainability, and it has really worked for them.”

A remarkably pioneering woman, Park has a lot of firsts in her life: she founded the first organic raw food store in California in the seventies; started South Africa’s first ever environmental communications and public relations company; originated and developed FTFA (then known as Trees for Africa) – the only national social enterprise in South Africa addressing climate change, greening and food security; and through this company, initiated the Carbon Standard and launched the first carbon calculator in South Africa. A veritable Who’s Who of women and the environment, Park has been recognised with numerous awards for her efforts in environmental conservation, forestry and climate change.

Park will present highly successful eco-branding case studies at the conference and share best practice thinking on carbon footprinting. She is a member of the Global Carbon Exchange (GCX) which aims to “make business sense of climate change” and believes that you can enhance your brand by having a clearly defined sustainability strategy. The Exchange quotes a recent study by McKinsey which informs that consumers around the world are concerned about climate change and trust a company more if they have a clearly defined strategy.

A brand that is seen to be authentically committed to sustainability will enhance the loyalty of existing consumers and open up avenues for new business. Park will also speak about the dangers of “greenwashing” and losing your brand’s credibility. By enabling your business to speak to the consumer in new ways while leaving a positive footprint on the world, a brand can go from being noticed to being loved.

Both eco-branding and carbon footprinting are set to emerge from trends and grow exponentially as business models over the next few years. The World Bank estimated the 2006 global carbon trade to be an astounding $30 billion, even though it is still predominately focused on Europe. The “green rush” has definitely begun.

Preston emphasised that the conference will not dwell on “green” brands but rather tie in to the very real concept of sustainability. “Recent research from OgilvyEarth has revealed that consumers see “green” as an idea that is focused on the environment and not people. People are interested in the sustainable economy, not the green economy, but the two are not mutually exclusive: US President Barack Obama phrased it so well when he said: ‘The choice we face is not about saving our environment and saving our economy. The choice we face is between prosperity and decline,’” he quoted.

“The question came up: How focused are South Africa’s brands and what in this regard can we do to assist them to remain relevant to consumers whose values and behaviours are shifting to align with the goals of the sustainability agenda, and out of this the idea the Brands & Branding for Good Conference was born.”

Park will take the podium alongside an exceptional line-up of local and international speakers that includes Seth Farbman from OgilvyEarth; Justin Hollis, senior brand communications manager (EMEA) at BlackBerry; Derek Carstens, marketing and commercial chief officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and

Organizing Committee; Leslie Pascaud, director for Responsible Marketing Practice from Added Value, Paris; Gail Klintworth, chairman of Unilever SA; and Prakash Patel, head of Digital & Interactive from Draftfcb South Africa. Dave Varty co-founder and owner of Londolozi and Laurika du Bois, head of marketing & communications, WWF South Africa, are also booked to impart their experiences and share their wisdom.

“The Brands & Branding for Good Conference is our answer,” said Preston, “as it will provide brand owners and their agencies with the opportunity to understand and appreciate the prevailing consumer shift and how to align their brands with sustainable values.”

Preston hastens to add that a range of other branding issues will be addressed by both the international and local speakers on both days thereby ensuring in-depth value for delegates.

This is the ‘must attend’ event of 2009 for anyone involved in branding, image management, public relations, brand and corporate communications, external affairs, marketing communications, advertising and promotions, consumer insights and sustainability. Delegates fees are being kept at least 30% below the level of other less significant branding events staged over the past three years. And, included in the delegate fee of R 5 200 for the two-day conference is a copy of both Brands & Branding 2009 and Joburg! Towards 2010. There are also substantial savings for those booking early, as well as those making multiple bookings.

Taking place on 20th/21st October at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, the conference will offer a handsome ROI, inspiring and assisting delegates to place greater emphasis on sustainable initiatives and create business success through improved efficiencies, enhanced brand image and relationships with consumers and stakeholders.

Bookings via lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za.

Brands & Branding for Good, South Africa’s first ever conference to include a major focus on brand relationships with increasingly socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers, has released the names of the majority of its keynote speakers.

Taking place in Gauteng in October this year, the conference is being billed as the ‘must attend’ event of 2009 for anyone involved in branding, image management, public relations, brand and corporate communications, external affairs, marketing communications, advertising and promotions, consumer insights and sustainability.

On the podium are:

• Seth Farbman
  – Senior Partner and Worldwide Managing Director, Ogilvy & Mather New York
• Leslie Pascaud
  – Director, Responsible Marketing Practice, Added Value, Paris
• Justine Hollis
  –  Senior Brand Communications Manager (EMEA) BlackBerry, Canada
• Andrew Welch
  – Executive Director Landor Associates, London
• Prakash Patel
  - Recently joined Draftfcb South Africa from London as Head of Digital & Interactive
• Gail Klintworth
  – Chairman Unilever SA
• Conservationist Dave Varty
  – Londolozi
• IP Attorney Owen Dean
  – FIFA’s advisor on trademark infringement issues
• Jeunesse Park
  – Founder and CEO Food & Trees for Africa
• Mike Schalit
  – Group Creative Officer BBDO SA
• Laurika du Bois
  – Head of Marketing & Communications, WWF South Africa
• Kay Nash
  - CEO, Yellowood Future Architects
• Derek Carstens
  - Marketing and Commercial Chief Officer, 2010 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee

Three further speakers are to be confirmed.

According to organiser Ken Preston, the current global financial crisis has combined with social and environmental concerns, prompting a shift in consumer attitudes when it comes to sustainability, meaning that brands need to reassess how they will achieve leadership positions in the years ahead.

“The conference will define the opportunities and responsibilities for marketers and focus on how business can best respond to the demands of ‘sustainable branding’.  It will inspire and assist delegates to place greater emphasis on innovative initiatives and create business success through improved efficiencies, enhanced brand image and relationships with consumers and stakeholders as the country moves out of the recession and into the excitement of 2010.

“Brands & Branding for Good will not dwell on ‘green’ issues but rather tie in to the very real concept of sustainability. As OgilvyEarth discovered during its information gathering for the United Nations Climate Change Conference later this year, consumers are quick to point out that ‘green is a very different idea – about the environment, not people. They are more interested in the sustainable economy than the green economy’, and it is this concept that the conference will explore in detail,” he said.

Preston hastens to add that a range of other branding issues will be addressed by both the international and local speakers on both days thereby ensuring in-depth value for delegates.

Preston has published The Encyclopaedia of Brands & Branding in South Africa, the country’s leading brand knowledge publication for the past 15 years. This year’s edition has an underlying focus on brands and branding for good, and will be presented to all the conference speakers and delegates.

Co-sponsoring the conference are Pick n Pay, Added Value, BlackBerry and OgilvyEarth.

Bookings for the conference are via lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za and further information from www.brandsandbrandingconference.co.za.

The cultural shift being driven by the onset of one of the worst global financial crises in recent history demands that major brands fundamentally reassess their point of view if they want to maintain their leadership positions in the years ahead.

This is the key learning emerging from the research undertaken by OgilvyEarth ahead of it developing a communications strategy and campaign for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP15, taking place in Copenhagen in December this year.

This research led OgilvyEarth to refer to 2009 as the ‘Dawn of the Age of Sustainability’, and to publish a white paper highlighting critical findings.

The authors summarised: ‘What we learned was striking: 2009 is giving rise to a new world order with the concept of sustainability at its very core. And, how we understand and frame sustainability is changing radically. Forget the well-worn tropes of charity for the planet, apocalyptic threat or moral obligation. In the Age of Sustainability, sustainability is an economic issue, opportunity and imperative. Sustainability drives shared prosperity, and offers brands the opportunity to go far beyond a green marketing campaign. As a new world order emerges, with sustainability at its very core, there is a huge opportunity for brand reinvigoration and reinvention.’

OgilvyEarth’s Seth Farbman will be in South Africa in October this year and will address delegates at the Brands & Branding for Good (www.brandsandbrandingconference.co.za) conference taking place in Gauteng. This is the first time sustainability will receive top billing at a local conference addressing brands and branding issues. Other international speakers include Andrew Welch, executive director in the London office of Landor Associates; Paris-based director of Responsible Marketing Practice at Added Value Europe, Lesley Pascaud; and Justin Hollis, Senior Brand Communications Manager (EMEA) at BlackBerry.

The conference will not, according to convenor Ken Preston, dwell on ‘green’ brands but rather tie in to the very real concept of sustainability. “As OgilvyEarth discovered during its information gathering, consumers are quick to point out that ‘green is a very different idea – about the environment, not people. They are interested in the sustainable economy, not the green economy.’

“However, the two are not mutually exclusive: US President Barack Obama phrased it so well when he said: ‘The choice we face is not about saving our environment and saving our economy. The choice we face is between prosperity and decline.’” he quoted.

Evidence in support of OgilvyEarth’s Age of Sustainability can be found in financial stimulus packages, legislation and mainstream consumer acceptance – as well as in new wealth creation, as these example show:

• The renewable energy sector of China has a value of nearly US$17-billion (UNEP)
• The global carbon market value could expand to US$3-trillion by 2020, the current value of the oil market (New Energy Finance)
• The market for sustainable energy products will be worth US$500-billion a year by 2050 (The Stern Review)
• In the US, the renewable energy sector now employs more people than the coal industry (Sierra Club)

Preston said that thinking like OgilvyEarth’s had been the catalyst for him putting up South Africa’s first ever conference to focus on brands and their relationship with socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers. And to carry the theme over to this year’s Brands & Branding Encyclopaedia as well.

“After reading this and other reports, there was no doubt in my mind that responsible brands are more attractive to consumers, and are able to build more comfortable relationships with regulators, local communities, investors and the media,” he said.

“This prompted the question how focused are South Africa’s brands and what in this regard can we do to assist them to remain relevant to consumers whose values and behaviours are shifting to align with the goals of the sustainability agenda.

“The Brands & Branding for Good conference is our answer as it will provide brand owners and their agencies with the opportunity to understand and appreciate the prevailing consumer shift and how to align their brands with sustainable values.”

Andrew Welch

The man who led the team responsible for Pick n Pay’s recent corporate identity redesign, Andrew Welch, will share the team’s experiences as well as his approach to today’s cluttered and fragmented brandscape at Brands & Branding for Good2 in October this year.

An executive director in the London office of Landor Associates, Welch will join Paris-based director of Responsible Marketing Practice at Added Value Europe, Lesley Pasquad, and other local and international speakers on the podium at the conference, South Africa’s first ever to include a focus on brand relationships with socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers’.

Welch believes that, in the escalating din of global choice and competition, brands are the most effective way of cutting through the racket to reach people’s hearts and minds. However, he advocates throwing out the standard approach to doing business.

“Conventional and historic wisdom dictates that marketers ‘build products first, build brands later’,” he says. “But, given today’s overtraded brandscape, this approach no longer holds water. A new approach is required and, at Landor, ours is to encourage clients to start with the brand promise, lead with it, and let the brand be the driver of the business, not just another way of packaging it.”

To argue his case, Welch intends exploring several brand-related issues during his presentation, including:

• What makes for successful brands in today’s economy
• Why rules are changing and what are the new rules
• How to manage the customer experience from an internal perspective - what is a customer experience, how do we construct it, when do we know a client has got it right or wrong, what new structures and roles clients should be considering from an organisational perspective in order to ensure an end-to-end cohesive experience
• The role of metrics - why every agency in the marketing communications field should be measured against client success, not just creative output
• The role of ‘responsibility branding’ - taking a stance on society, having a position, an how it halo’s across the brand

He will substantiate his points with examples from numerous markets worldwide, including the Pick n Pay brand transformation.

Conference convenor, Ken Preston, says Welch’s presentation is certain to be thought provoking: “BrandZ1, the global brand value survey recently published by Millward Brown Optimor, reports that the top 100 brands in the survey have actually increased in average value nearly 2% over the past year, once again highlighting the true power of brands.

“However, Andrew is preparing to argue that the world doesn’t need another brand… unless you do it right. The conference, and specifically his presentation, will help delegates understand how to do it right and build a brand that can withstand turbulent times and the competitive onslaught,” he says.

“We would like to thank Pick n Pay for sponsoring Andrew’s visit. Having a line-up of overseas speakers adds valule to the conference by exposing brand owners, their marketers and communications professionals to some very smart people with international experience,” concludes Preston

The Brands & Branding for Good conference takes place on 20th/21st October at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Enquiries and bookings are via lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za or www.brandsandbrandingconference.co.za.

Note 1: Additional information about the BrandZ survey:

The fourth annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking published by Millward Brown Optimor reveals that brands sustain their value, despite the tough economic environment. The BrandZ Top 100 ranking identifies the monetary value of brands. It does this by combining financial data with research on consumers and business-to-business users from BrandZ, the world’s largest brand equity study. The value of the top 100 brands has held its value at $1.95 tn (a marginal increase of 1.7 percent). Google is number one with a value of $100 bn, Microsoft is number two at $76.2 bn and Coca-Cola enters the top three for the first time at $67.6 bn.

Leslie Pascoud

Consumers are tired of the behaviour of big business - and big brands - and this creates a significant new opportunity. An opportunity for brands to position themselves on an ethical platform. A new way to build better and more sustainable businesses.

Leslie Pascoud, Director of Responsible Marketing Practice at Added Value Europe

That’s the view of Leslie Pascaud, one of the leading international speakers scheduled to address delegates at Brands & Branding for Good, South Africa’s first ever conference to include a major focus on brand relationships with increasingly socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers.

Leslie is the Paris-based Director of Responsible Marketing Practice at Added Value Europe.

Aiming to define the opportunities and responsibilities for marketing, Brands & Branding for Good will allow both speakers and delegates to focus on how businesses can respond to the demands of ‘sustainable branding’ as the country moves out of the recession and into the excitement of 2010.

Organiser Ken Preston, who has published The Encyclopaedia of Brands & Branding in South Africa, the country’s leading brand knowledge publication for the past 15 years, says “the inspiration for organising the conference was a World Wildlife Fund report titled ‘Let them eat cake’. It prompted the question - what could be done to assist brands to remain relevant to consumers whose values and behaviours are shifting to align with the goals of the sustainability agenda?

“There is no one more qualified to assist marketers achieve this alignment than Leslie Pascaud given Added Value’s global focus on sustainable and ethical marketing,” he explained.

“Lesley’s presentation, titled ‘Branding for Good: The Journey to Sustainability’, will explore the rise in consumer consciousness and how this has affected markets around the world, and in particular, South Africa.

“She will share some of the different models for sustainable marketing initiatives - with lessons for the South African market as well as best practise thinking on the responsible journey and the steps companies are taking to use sustainable practices as a springboard for the transformation of their organisations. Her presence at Brands & Branding for Good is being sponsored by the Added Value Group, which fuses brand marketing and consumer insight to help solve clients’ marketing problems.

“The conference will inspire and assist delegates to place greater emphasis on sustainable initiatives and create business success through improved efficiencies, enhanced brand image and relationships with consumers and stakeholders.

“If you are involved in branding, image management, public relations, brand communications, corporate communications, external affairs, marketing communications, advertising and promotions, or business development and consumer insights, miss Brands & Branding for Good at your peril,” Preston said.

The Brands & Branding for Good conference takes place on 20th/21st October at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Delegates fees are being kept at least 30% less than other branding events staged over the past three years. Included in the delegate fee for the two-day conference is a copy of both Brands & Branding 2009 and Joburg! Towards 2010. There are also substantial savings for those booking early, as well as those making multiple bookings.

Acknowledging that delegates need to accommodate busy work schedules, the organisers have made provision for complete flexibility - delegates have the choice of attending either or both days, as well as crossing over, that is, attend the morning of one day and the afternoon of the other at the single day price. In addition, a delegate can attend the plenary sessions and have an associate takeover for an afternoon workshop, provided the organisers are notified in advance.

Delegate fees and booking incentives:

Single day - R2 850 - includes a copy of Brands & Branding 2009
Both days - R5 200 - includes copies of both Brands & Branding 2009 and Joburg! Towards 2010

* Early booking discounts:

Payment 3 months in advance i.e. before 19th July 2009 - 10% discount
Single day - R2 565
Both days - R4 680

Payment 6 weeks in advance i.e. before 7th September 2009 - 5% discount
Single day - R2 700
Both days - R4 940

Multiple delegate incentive - every 4th delegate less 50%

Bookings via lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za and visit www.brandsandbrandingconference.co.za for further information.

About Leslie Pascaud

Leslie Pascaud is currently Director of Added Value’s Responsible Marketing Practice which she launched in 2006 in recognition of a market need to reveal the unmet commercial potential for more responsible brands and businesses.

Since then she has helped clients like Shell, Yara, Monoprix, Nestle, Dove, Lipton and Danone use sustainable development as a springboard for innovation and brand building. She is a frequent speaker at conferences in Europe, having presented points of view on consumer sustainable schizophrenia, sustainable innovation, ethical fashion and sustainanable marketing strategy.

Prior to this new role, Leslie acted as innovation thought leader for the Group and ran a range of innovation, positioning and segmentation projects across a host of multinational clients.

Leslie began her career in advertising, where she spent 10 years at DMB&B (now Publicis) New York and then Paris. She received her Masters in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management, after completing a dual undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School of Communications and the Wharton School of Finance. An American native, she has lived and worked for the past 18 years in Paris.

While some leading players in the global marketing, advertising and branding industry have attempted to get to grips with the consumer’s desire for environmentally and socially responsible brands, they have met with mixed success. However, looking ahead, the world’s advertising agencies have a major role to play - not only in helping their clients to spot and leverage the commercial potential of sustainability in innovative ways, but to accept that sustainability is here to say.

This is the message from a World Wildlife Fund report titled Let them eat cake. Compiled by Anthony Kleanthous and Jules Peck, the report explored the consumer’s need for responsible brands.

Kleanthous and Peck argued that, as more and more consumers are concerning themselves with environmental and social issues, very few brands - and their custodians - have aligned themselves with the sustainability agenda. This puts the majority of brands’ future at stake because a variety of consumer surveys and academic studies provide compelling evidence of increasing demand among mainstream consumers for responsible brands.

Inter alia, they quote that 53% of UK and 66% of US consumers have considered switching brand due to corporate social responsibility, 18% of UK consumers have actually purchased as a result of a company’s ethical reputation, and 18% have participated in an ethically-motivated boycott.

In addition 35% of UK consumers have felt guilty about unethical purchases and 51% said they or their family had boycotted a company because its products damage the environment while 63% approved of a tax to discourage behaviour that harms the environment.

“Marketing and corporate communications are central to our economic system because they are the conduit through which signals pass between producers and wider society. Although 81% of communications professionals believe they have a strong influence over consumer behaviour, only 3% were held responsible by their employers for the environmental and social aspects of that behaviour.”

All this suggests, according to Kleanthous and Peck, that agencies should become advocates as there is “unmet latent commercial potential for more responsible brands; helping clients to spot and exploit that potential is part of the essential function of agencies.”

The report’s findings were instrumental in prompting Affinity Publishing’s Ken Preston to organise South Africa’s first ever conference to focus on brands and their relationship with socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers. And to carry the theme over to this year’s Brands & Branding Encyclopaedia as well.

“After reading the report, there was no doubt in my mind that responsible brands are more attractive to consumers, and are able to build more comfortable relationships with regulators, local communities, investors and the media,” he said.

“This prompted the question how focused are South Africa’s brands and what in this regard can we do to assist them to remain relevant to consumers whose values and behaviours are shifting to align with the goals of the sustainability agenda.

“The Brands & Branding for Good conference, which will feature both international and local speakers, is our answer as it will provide brand owners and their agencies with the opportunity to understand and appreciate the prevailing consumer shift and how to align their brands with sustainable values.

“Brands & Branding for Good is the ‘Must Attend’ conference for 2009 for agencies and specialists and consultants who are responsible for any of the myriad components of brand management,” he said. While there will be a major focus on all aspects of “branding for good” attention will also be directed at a number of other mainstream branding issues from a global and local perspective.

“If you are involved in branding, image management, public relations, brand communications, corporate communications, external affairs, marketing communications, advertising and promotions, or business development and consumer insights, miss Brands & Branding for Good at your peril.”

The Brands & Branding for Good conference takes place on 20th/21st October at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Delegates fees are being kept at least 30% below the level of other less significant branding events staged over the past three years. Included in the delegate fee for the two-day conference is a copy of both Brands & Branding 2009 and Joburg! Towards 2010. There are also substantial savings for those booking early, as well as those making multiple bookings.

Acknowledging that delegates need to accommodate busy work schedules, the organisers have made provision for complete flexibility - delegates have the choice of attending either or both days, as well as crossing over, that is, attend the morning of one day and the afternoon of the other at the single day price. In addition, a delegate can attend the plenary sessions and have an associate takeover for an afternoon workshop, provided the organisers are notified in advance.

Delegate fees and booking incentives:

Single day - R2 850 - includes a copy of Brands & Branding 2009
Both days - R5 200 - includes copies of both Brands & Branding 2009 and Joburg! Towards 2010

* Early booking discounts:

Payment 3 months in advance i.e. before 19th July 2009 - 10% discount
Single day - R2 565
Both days - R4 680

Payment 6 weeks in advance i.e. before 7th September 2009 - 5% discount
Single day - R2 700
Both days - R4 940

Multiple delegate incentive - every 4th delegate less 50%

Bookings via lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za.