Yesterday, the Western Cape government, the City of Cape Town, InvestSA One Stop Shop Western Cape, and Wesgro relaunched an investment promotion campaign to attract foreign direct investment and local investment into the city and province.
The launch took place as a virtual event attended by investors, businesses and stakeholders, and included keynote addresses by the Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, and the Mayoral Committee Member of Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos.
The “Open, for Business” Investor Confidence Campaign is a collaborative effort between four different levels of government to present a clear and common message to the world: that both Cape Town and the Western Cape are open for business. The campaign pitches the Western Cape as a destination that is reliable, adaptable and resilient in the face of crises, along with compelling proof points across sectors including: tech, agribusiness, green economy, business process outsourcing (BPO), manufacturing, real-estate and more.
By pooling resources behind a common message and visual identity, and drawing on world-class best practise in digital marketing, the “Open, for Business” campaign will retarget audiences who have previously shown interest in investing in Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Through LinkedIn, Google and premium publishing partner Teads, the campaign will reach tens of thousands of prospective investors in key international and local source markets, including Europe, the USA, the United Kingdom, Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal.
This has never been more important as we look to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on key sectors, re-instate business confidence and rebuild our economy. It is therefore crucial to highlight to the rest of the world that we are a province to be proud of, and we are a gateway to the African continent where future growth lies. Locally, we are the most energy-secure province in the country, with sound governance and a track record for innovation.
Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, said: “Just last year, through the City’s targeted approach and funding of Strategic Business Partners such as Wesgro, we secured R2,6 billion worth of investment, created 5 720 jobs and trained 2 048 people. As we plot the road to recovery, it is the services, infrastructure, sound governance, skilled workforce and political will needed to grow the economy that companies recognise and it is why many invest in Cape Town. Our expanding world-class airport, our well located harbour with access to African and international markets and our ability to transact land to unlock economic potential, makes Cape Town a prime location for businesses looking to launch their operations internationally. The City of Cape Town is ready to partner with the public and private sector to help secure new investments that will drive demand and make business sense.”
Going out in three digital bursts, the campaign adopts a smart re-messaging approach. The first being a global remarket to international source markets, the second a local push to key companies that have already shown interest, and the third, a series of sector specialist testimonials by “Captains of Industry” retargeted at all groups, that will add the credibility the destination needs to attract business to our city and province.
The objective of the campaign is to build off equity gained in previous years, get back on the investor consideration list, and drive users through the funnel of conversion for high-quality leads, which ultimately land with a highly specialised Investment Promotion team, able to assist in landing deals and driving business expansion. Users will engage with the creative online, and be prompted to click through to a web page with a world of sector information available in order to change perceptions and inspire contact with the teams on the ground.
David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, said: “While we face a number of challenges, the abundance of investment opportunities in a variety of sectors that encouraged investors to consider us in the first place still remain available today. With our economic growth rate expected to be faster than the rest of the country, and sectors including agri-processing, green energy, manufacturing and BPO forecast to take the lead, Cape Town and the Western Cape remain a top business destination, and an economic powerhouse on the African continent.”
“A huge opportunity exists for investors to consider locating their African headquarters here in the Western Cape – not only are we the gateway to the rest of the continent, but we boast a stable resilient economic climate, and are already well on our way to establishing the destination as a global future leader in key sectors. Following the announcement that only financially sound municipalities will be considered for establishing their own power development, the Province holds a competitive advantage and a compelling investment proposition for businesses that heavily reliant on energy. We are open for business!” concluded Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris.
The campaign went live on 1 October and will run until the end of February 2021. You can view the campaign video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GnOIqZyrf0