Im surprised that SA gvt PR experts failed to see the huge problem with announcing loudly that our President is tired and therefore going for an unscheduled break. The brand of a President needs to encapsulate strength, immortality, continuity, virility, strength and business as usual; which means that a president must not be associated with sleeping, tiredness, sickness, weakness and such because it feeds into the perception that he is not up for the task, thereby suggesting that the country is weak and leaderless. This being particularly pertinent now when the president has just won an election and chosen a new cabinet that needs to be led for the task ahead, he cant be seen to be taking a break. In branding and PR, perception is everything. Zuma could have taken as much rest as needed at his house for two weeks without announcing and it wouldnt be an issue. However, the fact that the presidents tiredness was announced and the break unscheduled, portends to a potential crisis in our leaders health. Furthermore, in a leading continental country like South Africa were the perceptions of laziness have been associated and smeared on black people and more so the ANC. The PR team should have realize that saying the president is tired would have built into this unfair narrative and interpretation that he is lazy or has fallen suddenly ill. Lastly, by the ANC and gvt PR team missing these basic fundamentals, I think we can safely conclude that there are incompetent strategists and PR people in the ranks of our government and ruling party.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 10:57:37 +0000
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