President Kolisi? New research says that’s what South Africa wants

The Springboks’ Rugby World Cup (RWC) loss to Ireland in the pool stages felt worse than a break-up. I went to bed that night and dreamt in a loop, playing that Manie Libbok kick over and oover and oooover again. The next day I kept refreshing the RWC app to check if I was living in a nightmare. Even worse was going onto social media to see the world calling the Saffas arrogant supporters made me even more depressed.

Why was I hurting so much? What drives our love for the Boks? I turned to BAV (Brand Asset Valuator), WPP’s brand equity measurement tool, to find answers.

What makes BAV unique is, first, that it’s a brand measurement methodology built in partnership with the likes of VMLY&R, University of Oxford, Wharton University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. With over 14-billion data points on 57, 000 brands worldwide, BAV is the largest and longest study of brands in the world.

Second, BAV views the definition of “brand” as being broader than the name of a product or service and as including concepts such as countries, sports teams, tournaments, politicians and celebrities.

Third, BAV’s insights are completely localised to a specific country, recognising that, for example, South Africans’ view of a brand will be different from those of New Zealanders, Americans or the French. Therefore it is a pulse and barometer of brand’s connections to culture.

The first South African study was for 2022/2023 and measured more than 1,001 brands among 12, 500 South Africans, representative at provincial, racial, gender and language levels. As the 2023/2024 study gears for release, data is already showing shifts and trends in the local culture among the increased 1,601 brands measured. 

Springbok rugby is stronger than Brand SA 

In the 2023/2024 BAV Best Countries report South Africa as a nation brand slipped from 42nd best in 2022/2023 to 46th. Our biggest declines are in the country’s quality of life, its power on the global stage, its social purpose and its agility. Interestingly, our biggest growth came in the areas of cultural influence, movers and shakers and athletic talent.

It all comes down to brand esteem — and this is what sets the Springboks apart from not only our nation brand but also those of its state-owned enterprises (the SABC, the Post Office, South African Airways, Denel and Putco) in delivering consistent and reliable quality. Sasol was the only state-owned enterprise on par with the Boks here in 2022/2023. The results in 2023/2024 show the growth of almost 20% in Springbok brand asset value, rising in multiple dimensions out of the 1,061 brands measured. 

It leaves the Boks in the following positions: 

• seventh in leadership;
• 13th-most energic; 
• 17th-most dynamic; 
• the 16th-most progressive; 
• the 18th-most rugged; and 
• the 34th-most South African brand (officially giving it heritage status). 

In a country where we are constantly being let down, brand Springbok has become the symbol for hope since 1995. We can deal with load-shedding of electricity, but not with Bok-shedding on top of that. 

Springbok rugby outshines other sports

Likewise, in the category of sport, the Springboks are seen as natural leaders. They stand out ahead of all other sports with regard to events and teams — in rugby, soccer and cricket. While the Boks are perceived to be “bold”, “established” and “dependable”, South Africans are indifferent to Bafana Bafana and find the Proteas rather fatigued.

Year on year, our national soccer brand is seen as “distant”, “low quality”, “not bold” and “not inventive”. Even more ouch for Bafana, it claims the 12th most arrogant spot. Ahead of the Cricket World Cup, our cricket guys are seen as “established”, yet “not dependable”. The 2023/2024 study has recognised the Proteas as the 27th most progressive brand and the top sports brand when it comes to equality and the environment. Overall, South Africans feel their sports brand of choice — the Springboks — displays a perfect balance of “innovation”, “intellect” and “playfulness”, which not only drives resonance but also “our preferred brand” status. 

Using BAV’s brand match functionality, Siya Kolisi and the Springboks score an 88% personality match, sharing not only the values of intellect, playfulness and innovation, but also of being bold and spirited.

Brand Kolisi has grown immensely over the past year. Like that of the Boks, his position has skyrocketed and he scores prestigious brand quality titles over the 1,061 brands measured. In the 2023/2024 study Kolisi’s brand asset value sits at 97.7%. He is now the: 

• top quality brand;
• top leadership brand (beating all politicians); 
• most down-to-earth brand; 
• kindest brand; 

• friendliest brand; 
• second-toughest brand; 
• sixth-most charming brand; 
• 35th-most intellectual brand; and 
• 36th-most energetic brand. 

When Kolisi’s brand equity scores were plotted against the EFF’s Julius Malema and President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kolisi was an outright winner. Should Kolisi pivot into a political career, BAV insights say he would win the next elections, with South Africans citing his “leadership”, “visionary”, “dynamic”, “progressive”, “innovative”, “reliable”, “friendly” and “down-to-earth” qualities.

By contrast, our current politicians are cited as “fatigued” and, surprise, surprise, “arrogant”. The 2023/2024 study shows the politicians claiming some prestige themselves, taking up the top five positions of being the most unapproachable brands in South Africa. 

More than a game 

As things slip for SA across the board, the Springboks are our country’s most reliable brand, and Kolisi displays the leadership qualities we yearn to see in the people in charge of our nation.

So, when the international rugby community calls Saffa fans arrogant, they need to remember that while they have electricity, post and public transport in their countries, the Springboks are all we have left. And that’s why we will defend them in scrums, stands and online forums. 

Dono White is Strategic Planning director at VMLY&R South Africa and WPP BAV South Africa champion. The official South African BAV Data for 2023/2024 is due at the end of the Rugby World Cup.

The big take-out: In a country where we are constantly let down, brand Springbok has become the most reliable brand and a symbol for hope