Another Creative Way to Build Your Company’s Brand
South Africa’s 2024 Election Day is around the corner and although there might be an apathy in commitment to vote, most South African’s realize the importance of voting in this year’s election. The question is, how can you make the best possible use of a day that your workers will not be productive even though you have to pay their salary?
Having employees wear company-branded clothes on South Africa’s Voting Day can offer visibility and possibly enhance brand recognition, but as usual, it must be approached with sensitivity and adherence to local laws and election guidelines. South Africa’s Electoral Commission (IEC) has specific rules regarding political activities and electioneering, which businesses must be careful not to infringe upon.
That being said, here are some potential benefits of brand exposure through company attire on Voting Day:
Brand Visibility:
Employees wearing branded clothes can act as moving billboards, offering increased exposure as they move through public spaces.
Team Spirit:
Company attire can foster a sense of belonging and solidarity among employees, strengthening internal camaraderie on a day that celebrates national unity.
Free Marketing
Any public occurrence is an opportunity for free marketing. As employees travel to and from polling stations, they could potentially engage with a vast cross-section of the population.
Conversation Starter
Branded attire can be a conversation starter, enabling employees to organically discuss the company, products, or services in their personal networks, and spreading brand awareness.
Positive Brand Association
Aligning the company with a positive and important event like Voting Day can create an association in the public mind between civic duty and the business.
What Not to Expose Your Company Brand on Election Day to
As with anything in life, there are a few caveats that you have to be aware of.
- Compliance with Electoral Laws: Ensure that any activity, including the wearing of company clothing, complies with the IEC regulations. You should avoid any connotations of corporate influence on the electoral process.
- Voluntary Participation: Any initiative like wearing company-branded clothes should be entirely voluntary for employees.
- Sensitivity to Employee Views: Understand that voting is a personal civic duty, and some employees may not wish to mix their employment with their civic responsibilities or may prefer to keep their political views private.
- Avoiding Misinterpretation: It must be clear that the company is not advocating for any political party; hence, the designs should be clearly non-partisan and not resemble any political party’s branding or colors.
Rewarding your Employees with a Voting Incentive
It is our duty as employers to motivate our staff to take part in the South African Elections of 2024. Have you ever considered rewarding your employees with a gift for taking the time to vote in the election? Yes, our employees are under no obligation to vote, but if they do we believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with rewarding those employees with a branded company gift for doing their civil duty to vote.
Branded Chairs, Shirts & Scarfs
Ever considered dishing out company-branded chairs, shirts, or scarves to enhance the voting experience? After all, who knows how long you will be standing in a queue to exercise your right to vote?
Considering these factors will help prevent any possible missteps and ensure that the organization maintains a respectful observance of South Africa’s Voting Day.
Give us a call today. We would LOVE to quote you on your company’s election paraphernalia.
