Winners and Champions. Play up. Pay up. And Play the Game

As South Africans and sport lovers we embrace the scenes of national euphoria sparked by the Springboks Rugby World Cup triumph. And we marvel at the power of sport in this country to build bridges. Bridges into a better – more unified – future for our country. Of course, as Safrican sports fans we also await, with that deep sense of impending doom reserved exclusively for the Proteas, the outcome of the Cricket World Cup.

All these celebrations and expectations are more often than not ignited by pivotal moments in a game. Or in the case of the Springboks pivotal moments in 3 consecutive games.

Someone makes a mistake – and costs their team the game. Allan Donald forgets to run. Herschelle Gibbs drops a sitter. And that person is branded a loser. And the team are co-branded “chokers”. Or someone produces a moment of magic – and your team scores. A Cheslin Kolbe sidestep. A 55-metre Pollard penalty. In that one magical moment you go from being a loser to being a winner.

But here’s the thing. Being a winner doesn’t necessarily make you a Champion.

What makes you a Champion is how you behave after you become a winner.

Siya Kolisi became a winner the instant the ref put the whistle to his lips to end the Rugby World Cup final. But he became a champion the moment he ran straight off the field to embrace Cheslin Kolbe who had been sitting with his jersey over his head. Terrified that he was a loser – and even worse that he had made everyone else a loser.

Real champions make everyone feel like winners.

When last did you have a champion experience with a brand?

So much is spoken about Champion Brands that we sometimes forget that being a winning brand doesn’t automatically make you a champion brand. Take for example the post Rugby World Cup scenarios being reported in the industry press this week.

Takealot’s BackTheBucks campaign promised buyers of five specific Samsung TV models a full refund if the Boks successfully defended their title as world champions in France. This week My Broadband reports that “Takealot and Samsung will pay over 800 shoppers roughly R10 million in refunds after the Springboks won the 2023 Rugby World Cup”.

Champion!

On the other hand Darren, we have the DSTV debacle. Or is that another DSTV debacle? In the same newsletter My Broadband reports that sports fans have been subjected to the proverbial “you should’ve read the small print” manoeuvre.

In what My Broadband calls “a brilliant piece of nostalgia marketing” MultiChoice launched a promotion on the Friday before the big game. In reference to the 1995 World Cup triumph at Ellis Park, viewers were offered a once-off R19.95 deal on DStv Access streaming packages to watch the 2023 World Cup Final. But it had a catch and while subscribers reported that MultiChoice’s special on DStv Access worked, they found themselves running afoul of the broadcaster’s 30-day cancellation policy which effectively locked them into a second month of subscription. At the full subscription price.

When it comes to winning in sport, we often say check the scoreboard. Its all about the result. Corporate apologies from Multichoice notwithstanding, one is forced to ask, who checked the scoreboard on this one? Who decided what was a winning total in this game?

When it comes to marketing and advertising, in a hard-fought game where brand supporters globally are calling out for their brands to demonstrate purpose, we need to ask …

Does winning make you a champion? Or does being a champion make you a winner?

C’mon guys. Play up! Pay up! And play the game!