Bringing together all spheres of government under a single campaign concept, the three-burst “Investor Confidence” campaigns run out of Wesgro demonstrate globally compelling investor proof points in six of the Cape’s top investment source markets (the USA, China, UK, France, Netherlands and Germany), resulting in investment declarations far exceeding the cost of the campaign, and boosting the local economy in Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Culminating in June this year, the campaign concluded with a whopping 12.9 million unique users reached, over 3.3 million video plays, over 210 000 clicks to site, 725 downloads of investment collateral and over 1600 leads to respective investment promotion teams on the ground.
The project was a collaborative effort between three different levels of government to present a clear and common message to the world: that Cape Town and the Western Cape is open for business.
The campaign pitched the Western Cape as a destination that is reliable, adaptable and resilient in the face of crisis, along with compelling proof points across sectors including tech, agribusiness, green economy, business process outsourcing (BPO), manufacturing, real estate and more.
Originally conceptualised by Wesgro in 2018, following a host of credit downgrades and the crippling effects of the drought, the campaign series sought to boost the province’s investment identity both locally and abroad, promoting the investment landscape as a compelling and lucrative one, whilst dispelling misconceptions regarding the barriers to investment. This was underscored by the in-depth research conducted in order to inform the brief.
The first burst proved to be so successful that additional stakeholders came on board for a further two bursts, with the final phase of the campaign journey culminating in May 2021 this year.
“The campaign really is an example of innovation in the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) space” says Wesgro’s Head of Marketing and Communications, Jean Scheltema. “Supported by in-depth research of the audiences we were targeting and the barriers we aimed to remove, we were able to reach our business community online, shortening the investment value chain and effectively driving conversion through high-quality leads. Through a smart re-marketing approach, we used digital channels such as LinkedIn, Teads and Google to tell our business story to the world.”
Highlighting an abundance of opportunities in a variety of sectors, the robust campaign was guided by the reality that Cape Town and the Western Cape is already a popular tourism destination, but what is lesser known (especially by an international audience) is the plethora of investment and business opportunities available. Drawing on this truth the campaign tagline, ‘A place of more’, was conceptualised and is now used across campaigns bringing home the world-class offering available in the destination. The messaging then moved into “Open for Business”, highlighting opportunities within demand-led sectors for the consumption of both international audiences and local businesses.
With the second campaign burst following on seamlessly from the first phase – the third burst was not without its challenges.
“As we started the third phase of the campaign, the globe was turned upside down by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With international borders closed and the world in a state of lockdown, we quickly needed to pivot our strategy to spotlight sectors that were in high demand, with a new set of marketing ‘problems’ to overcome through the creative messaging. Shifting our focus to sectors such as BPO and tech, the third burst took on a slightly different iteration of ‘Open for Business’ – ensuring we remained relevant in a new world with new needs,” says Scheltema.
Head of the Invest SA Western Cape One Stop Shop, Salman Kajie, commented: “The campaign has ignited a new way for us to entice business leaders and convert leads into bankable investment opportunities. Whilst the conversion process has ensued, we will reap the full reward of the campaign in line with the medium to long-term execution rates associated with fixed capital investments. The sustainability in securing business associated with this campaign is a very exciting concept for us as an IPA.”
Using authentic voices to tell the sector-led success of the province, top CEOs were chosen as “Captains of Industry” to champion the campaign through all bursts. Many became ambassadors for the province, and their real estate, agribusiness and marine manufacturing stories in Cape Town and the Western Cape gained hundreds of thousands of views online.
Acting Wesgro CEO, Yaw Peprah, commented: “In-depth research provided the backbone for this successful campaign, ensuring we were speaking to the decision-makers in the right places, to yield results. It became clear that CEOs were not the only audience to target online, but that the pyramid of senior management below were informing upwards. Hitting home key points such as access to growing markets, ease of doing business, a growing economy, and world-class infrastructure – the campaign was further bolstered through the willingness of businessmen already in the province, being willing to share their success stories. The campaign exceeded our expectations, and we look forward to seeing what a potential fourth phase could mean for the investment landscape of the destination.”
“In order to continue to make Cape Town a leading investment option, we champion the #InvestCapeTown initiative, which positions Cape Town as a globally competitive business destination. This included the marketing and communications approach for our six pillars – to Visit, Live, Work, Study, Play & Invest in Cape Town. It allows us to provide a rich and holistic view of all the city has to offer across the six themes,” said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Member for Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Asset Management at the City of Cape Town.
Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities in the Western Cape, David Maynier, concluded: “We are proud of the Investor Confidence Campaign which has proved valuable in driving investment and growth in the province during a very difficult time. While we continue to face a number of challenges, there are still an abundance of opportunities in a variety of sectors that we’d like investors to consider in the Western Cape. And so, we look forward to further iterations of the campaign that will continue to re-instil confidence in the region and showcase the fact that Cape Town and the Western Cape are open for business.”
See one of the campaign videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GnOIqZyrf0&t=4s.
To visit the campaign webpage, please see www.investwesterncape.com and investcapetown.com.