President Thabo Mbeki commends The IziCwe Code for Nation Branding

In his Letter from the President on “The New South Africa: A Season of Hope”, Thabo Mbeki challenges government leaders to align employee commitment to the government's brand promise of delivering "A Better Life for All". Quoting from the international edition of "Internal Branding: The IziCwe Code" (Foreword by Reuel Khoza, Academy Press 2005), he urges government departments to focus on attitude and building Employee Commitment. Says Mbeki:"Using the analytical tools contained in the passages taken from The IziCwe Code, we can say that the brand image of a democratic South Africa … conveys a credible promise of vibrant and limitless possibilities for a better life for all … When our country meets this expectation, we will be able further to build our brand image, enlarging the ‘corner of the consumer’s mind’, the identification with ‘the brand character’, that constitutes ‘the most valuable real estate in the world.’ “

Quoting from The IziCwe Code that “Nothing kills a poor product faster than good advertising”, Mbeki poses the question, "Are the members and supporters of the ANC sufficiently inspired by our Brand Image to discharge their responsibility to generate the kind of energy, commitment and actions that will ensure that the people, at home and abroad, sustain their confidence that the ANC can be trusted to honour the Brand Promise?"

In concluding, Mbeki is referring to The IziCwe Code’s “'Janus effect of Internal Branding', according to which ‘the face a company presents to its customers and the general public is in large part a reflection of the face it presents to its employees’", and asserts that "If people in an organisation are to deliver on a company promise to customers, they should live the promise in their work environment as well"!

Based on twelve years of research, The IziCwe Code is about internal branding strategies from Emperor Shaka, aimed at engaging the emotional drivers of employee commitment (coined motiVators™ by Dr Nikolaus) and building total commitment to delivering the brand promise.

Dr Nikolaus and co-author Herman Schoonbee recently presented The IziCwe Code at the Global Leaders Summit in Johannesburg, in conjunction with global thought leaders Tom Peters, Michael Porter, Rudy Giuliani and Carly Fiorina.

Dr Nikolaus’ earlier book “Conquer Life: Personal Branding Strategies from the Emperor” was appraised by The Business Day as “A must for anyone who wants to overcome personal and career challenges”, and Herman Mashaba, Founder of Black Like Me as “A uniquely South African formula for mustering the will to succeed and conquer life.”