Slight Benzing of the norm

 

DaimlerChrysler has announced a BEE deal.  They are quite insistent that it is going to be broad-based.  Their website provides a succinct analysis of the whole deal. 

The thing that I love about this deal is that they have involved a bunch of prominent celebrities including former Miss South Africa Basetsana Kumalo, pop star Yvonne Chaka Chaka  and former talk-show host Felicia Mabuza-Suttle.  This is a clever move - make really attractive people (although I reserve judgment on Felicia, I actually thought she was has-beened and went back to the States), your shareholders.  Great brand building indeed.

Daimlerchrysler_beedeal_pic Yvonne Chaka Chaka, front, and Basetsana Kumalo, with Lot Ndlovu of Nedbank, Dr Hansgeorg Nefer of DaimlerChrysler and Roy McAllister (source - The Sunday Times).

 

As a footnote written twenty years later, I detested Maboozer Subtle.  She was an arrogant, opinionated whatever.  

I would look at this deal now and think - don't do it.  It'll damage your brand more than you can imagine. 

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