COPEing at the rugby...

While watching a Super 14 rugby match yesterday - the Lions vs Bulls game to be precise - I couldn't help but notice that COPE (the new political party, Congress of the People) had banners and adverts all over the stadium. This piqued my interest as, in the nearly 20 years that I've been watching rugby, I can safely say that I have never seen a political party advertising so blatantly at a sports stadium. But, looking past that initial surprise, there's a fair amount that can be read into it...

By them choosing to dedicate a decent chunk of their marketing-spend on ads at the rugby, it shows who one of their main target audiences is. Before getting into the politics of it, one must remember that advertising at a sports ground or stadium is actually a two-dimensional marketing angle. Obviously, the supporters at the actual stadium itself are exposed to your advertising message, but smart marketers realise that you can actually target a much wider audience - being those people watching the game on their TV. Depending on where your ad is placed in relation to the actual playing field, TV viewers can have your message in their field of vision for most of the game as well. This is why you may see ads for SA companies on the advertising boards at a cricket match in Australia, for example - the advertisers realise that the pictures are being streamed around the world, and there will be plenty of interested SA supporters watching the game in their own country.

To give a little bit of political background, COPE was only formed in the last few months, and is generally seen as a break-away from the ruling ANC. Initially dismissed by the ANC as a bunch of no-hopers, COPE is now seen as a force to be reckoned with, with some high-level defections from the ANC and other parties, as well as a groundswell of support from the business community and general public (thanks in part to the huge media hype about them). While they may be a bit thin on policy, their general appeal lies in the fact that they are an alternative to the ANC, with a broad-based appeal that the other 'minority' parties lack. While these other 'minority' parties have a uphill battle to prove that they don't only have the interests of one particular group in mind (the DA is perceived as somewhat of a 'white' party, the 'ID' as a 'coloured' party, the IFP as a 'Zulu' party, the FF as an 'Afrikaans' party), COPE has the advantage of not having any historical perceptions to overcome. They have managed to unite people on the simple basis that they are disillusioned with the ruling party, and fed-up with the way things are being run at the moment. While this may not be the strongest message to run a campaign on, it seems to be working, with South Africans from all races and walks of life saying that they would consider voting for COPE in the upcoming general elections.

Now, let's get back to the adverts that sparked this train of thought. For those who were under the impression that COPE was only targeting the majority black vote - essentially looking at stealing votes from the ANC - I feel that this set of adverts has blown that impression out of the water. Historically in SA, rugby has been a bit of a 'white' sport (I know I'm generalising a bit here, and dipping into the race debate, but bear with me for the sake of argument). It has come on in leaps and bounds in terms of attracting supporters from across the spectrum, and has a massive coloured following in the Western Cape, but it doesn't yet have the same appeal to black viewers as soccer does. So when COPE decided to advertise at a rugby game, I feel that they made their intentions quite clear in terms of attracting the white (and coloured) vote. What struck me even more was the fact that they were advertising in Johannesburg, at a a game where the two teams playing are based in Johannesburg and Pretoria respectively. Now, these two locations could be seen as bastions of conservatism, with a strong leaning towards white (and often Afrikaans) supporters. The way I see it, COPE has basically stated that they want a decent portion of the white, conservative, Afrikaans vote. For a party that could be seen as a spin-off from the party most reviled by this group of voters (the ANC), this seems pretty bold to me.

This is just my opinion on the matter and, for now, all I can say is good luck to them. Seeing their ads has obviously made an impression on me, and I hope that their marketing analysts have done their homework, but I guess only time will tell...

(On a side note, I went to the Stormers game (playing the Blues from NZ), and had to sit through possibly the most frustrating performance I have ever seen. If they carry on playing the way they are at the moment, I'm going to apply for a trading licence at the stadium. If it gets approved, not only will you be able to buy cooldrinks, chips, and hot chocolate in the stands, but also hair plugs - to replace the piles that you pulled out watching them spill the ball every time they got possession.)