Cacadu District Municipality Rebrand.

From government district to distinct destination

Situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the Cacadu District Municipality consists of nine local municipalities and other portions collectively known as the District Management Areas. The municipality is a relatively new, multi-ethnic administration, formed by the ANC government.

Our role was to reinvent the district’s communications and to position the area as a tourist destination while still promoting government-driven trade and investment opportunities to potential investors. Furthermore, to solidify the brand, we knew we had to align all promotional activities, which were fragmented and inconsistent in their messaging and approach.

After in-depth quantitative and qualitative research, we soon realised that tourists and investors are not likely to adhere to municipal borders when making decisions. Based on this insight, the district was positioned primarily as a destination and secondly as a government entity.

To market the destination while maintaining the Cacadu brand, all tourism marketing represented 80% destination and 20% Cacadu District Municipality. Growth and investment were communicated as initiatives supported by the Municipality, signifying the relationship between the private and public sectors in the area.

We tapped into the travel trend of people visiting attractions rather than regions, a further strategic breakdown that tightened our creative approach. The district was rebranded as the ‘7 Wonders of our World’, which uniquely packaged areas into 7 regions, each with a key attraction or wonder.

Wonders ranged from the highest commercial bungee jump, to the best right-hand surf break in the world. The logo was based on a compass, exuding the spirit of the main message – “Come and explore the 7 Wonders of our World.” We also developed a promotional video, the soundtrack of which was specially created by local musicians. A brand manual was distributed to all stakeholders to ensure all future communications and visuals were aligned.

Due to its more solid identity, the district has become more accessible and recognisable to the public. By stepping away from ‘government communication’ the brand has come into its own in terms of a Tourism, Trade and Investment destination. Boomtown’s work on the rebrand was recognised as one of the world’s most effective rebrands in the seventh annual REBRAND 100® Global Awards. This REBRAND 100® Award, which falls under the merit category, marks the highest recognition for excellence in brand positioning, and is the first and only global programme of its kind. Both Boomtown and Cacadu hold this honour in high regard.