Leading corporates support Joburg Pride
Product Information
Leading corporates support Joburg Pride
It’s no secret we live in a fast-changing world. Just 20 years ago, there were 7 television stations in South Africa – we now have 160 channels. During the same period of time (1991 to 2011), the number of radio stations has grown from 34 to 173, the number of consumer magazines in the country has more than doubled, from 250 to 630; business-to-business titles have grown from 300 to 680, with community newspapers growing from 330 to 470.
The internet didn’t exist, and neither did cellphones. From a base of zero, cellphone numbers have grown to some 42-million out of a population 50-million.
The end-result? Now, more than ever, savvy marketers and companies are targeting micro-niche markets, engaging with them across a number of platforms – from events and traditional media to social media the Internet.
Joburg Pride offers the perfect convergence of these new-generation platforms – combining the Internet, social media, a magazine and the continent’s leading annual gay and lesbian event, which attracted more than 18,000 guests last year.
So it’s no surprise that forward-thinking, blue-chip companies are supporting Joburg Pride in ever-increasing numbers. 2011 sees Jacaranda 94.2 as Joburg Pride’s media sponsor with Play Energy Drink (Coca-Cola) as its headline sponsor. Other blue-chip sponsors include SAB-Miller, Cell C, Lufthansa, Swiss Air and DGB, as well as innovative SME’s including Maverick, Blue Pebble Consulting and Symbology Consulting. Joburg Pride is also supported by the City of Joburg, the JMPD, Think Bike, the Zoo Lake Sports Club, South Point and Hotel Lamunu.
“2011 has been a breakthrough year,” says Fulvio De Stefanis, head of sponsorship and funding for Joburg Pride. “We’ve had unprecedented support from leading companies this year, who are keen to support and engage with the community. The power of the ‘pink rand’ is well-documented throughout the world, with the LGBT community enjoying higher educational and disposable income levels than the general population. But what’s most refreshing,” he says, “is that the backing from the big corporates has grown into something that’s much more than simple financial support – it’s also about meaningful engagement with the community, something unimaginable just a few years ago. There’s a forward-looking psychological shift in Corporate South Africa. It’s a shift that we whole-heartedly welcome and plan to leverage next year and beyond.”
JOBURG PRIDE 2011:
Joburg Pride 2011 takes place on Saturday, 1 October, at the Zoo Lake Sports Club. Gates open from 08h00 with the Parade starting at 11h00. The day will end at 18h00.
FOR MORE INFO:
Email: info@joburgpride.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/joburgpride
Twitter: www.twitter.com/realjoburgpride
