Ready for kick-off

Bangkok--11 Jun--Synovate As the World Cup gets underway, a Synovate study highlights how South Africans are feeling about hosting the extravaganza The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa on 11 June, signalling the first African hosting of a major football tournament. According to a recent study by Synovate, South Africans are more than ready to show the world their enthusiasm. Below are the some of the key findings from the study. Participation To many South Africans, the first World Cup held on African home soil is too important an event to watch from the sidelines. As such, around half of the survey respondents plan to go to at least one match. For those who aren’t lucky enough to get their hands on one of the million allocated tickets, 89% will be following the matches on TV. Surprisingly, it’s not just the men who are looking forward to the football - 86% of females are also expressing interest in watching matches. This shows that football can indeed cross boundaries, whether it’s gender or national, as Managing Director for Synovate South Africa Charlotte Jackson explains. “We are looking forward to the World Cup being a common goal and source of national pride, not just in South Africa, but in Africa as a continent — the emotional glue that brings us together. The opportunity exists to unify us as a nation and bring together the diverse peoples within our country.” Patriotism Apart from showing enthusiastic support of the event, South Africans are equally supportive of their football team and country. Despite a disappointing past year (and being the lowest ranking team in the tournament), around 55% of those interviewed believe their team is ready for the World Cup, while a quarter say they not prepared to meet the challenge. Nonetheless, the South African team can look forward to a major dose of confidence with their national anthem ringing loud and clear among fans. Of those interviewed, 45% said they knew the whole anthem while another 50% could sing bits of the Nkosi Sikelel, leaving around 6% who didn’t know the anthem at all. In an even more direct demonstration of patriotism, one quarter of respondents are “happy” or “glad” to be South African, one-fifth are “excited/thrilled/optimistic”, and 19% feel “proud” of their national identity. Preparation Among waves of national pride, South Africans have mixed thoughts on whether the country is fully prepared. Stadiums were given an overwhelming vote of confidence with 89% of respondents agreeing they were ready for use. Interviewees also had great faith in restaurants and accommodation, with 88% and 84% respectively saying these would be fine. However, South Africans had far less confidence in other areas. Only 73% feel that public transportation is ready. “Public transport has been an area that has lacked attention and with a few hundred thousand visitors landing on our shores, we have had to up the ante in this regard,” says Jackson. On safety, only 69% are confident that it is ample while an even lower 59% feel that the high electricity demands will be met. Around three-fifths believe that more effort has to be put into police and security if visitors are to leave with happy memories. Whether the preparations turn out to be adequate or not will be revealed, but you can be sure that the South Africans will live up to their reputation as warm and friendly people. And they are optimistic, as 87% of respondents believe the country is ready for the World Cup, while 89% feel that the whole nation is looking forward to the event. Says Jackson, “It is our chance to show the world that South Africa is a warm and welcoming nation and eager to receive visitors both from the rest of the Africa and globally.” About Synovate Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 6,000 staff across 62 countries. More information on Synovate can be found at www.synovate.com. For further press information or pictures please contact: Kasama Tipbumrung / Nawajit Thanaboon Synovate (Thailand) Limited Tel: 02 237 9262 Email: [email protected] / [email protected]