News Archive

2010-06-21

Tikoloshes and Vuvuzelas Invade Icograda in Madrid, Spain

Brand Leadership Group founder, and chief strategy and creative officer, Thebe Ikalafeng invited to present a seminal perspective on African design and its influence on global culture at the prestigious Icograda Design Week in Madrid, Spain, 21 - 25 June 2010

Johannesburg, South Africa:  African brand authority, founder and chief strategy and creative officer of The Brand Leadership Group, Thebe Ikalafeng, is to present a seminal perspective on African design and its influence on global culture at the prestigious Icograda Design Week in Madrid, Spain, 21 - 25 June 2010.  Ikalafeng's presentation, scheduled for 24 June, 2010, will share insights on how Africa is assuredly and progressively expressing itself without reservations and using myths, beliefs and stereotypes which were once used to disparage Africa such as 'tikoloshes', Zebras' and the now ubiquitous symbol of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa tournament, vuvuzelas', to inspire and influence the world of design and global cultures - and ultimately positively change perceptions about Africa.

Ikalafeng will be sharing the ICOGRADA global platform with other global authorities, including, Rachel Cooper (Professor of Design Management at the University of Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts), Bennett Peji (Commissioner of Arts & Culture for the City of San Diego, USA), Professor Soon In Lee (Professor of Industrial Design & Art at Hongik University), Chris Luebkeman (Director for Foresight and Innovation at Arup Group, UK), Franco Moretti (Group CEO, Leo Burnett Group), David Godber (Deputy CEO, Design Council, UK), and Ole Vestergaard Poulsen (Director, Centre of Innovation, Denmark).

Straight to Business: Icograda Design Week in Madrid will showcase the best examples of how communication design, effectively managed and integrated into a company's strategy can result in an improved brand image, more efficient use of resources and positive economic results.  Straight to Business 2010 will be a meeting point for designers, government officials and company executives. The programme will cover advances, case studies and actual experiences about strategy and design, communication, brand and image management.  Straight to Business 2010 will take place from 21-25 June, as a part of the programming for the Spanish Presidency of the European Union.

Says Ikalafeng, "With the world's attention actively on Africa because of the global 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, I'm delighted to return to Spain and to add to Africa's growing voice and contribution in the global world of building great brands and business through design."