The Cacadu District Municipality (CDM) has begun unveiling the exciting brand of the district as well as innovative business marketing tools to residents throughout the district.

The first roadshows took place in Somerset East and Graaff-Reinet today.

The brand, which was developed with extensive input from its citizens, aims to create opportunity for economic growth for local businesses by communicating the district’s distinct appeal more effectively.

Somerset East Municipality LED officer Andile Ntshudu who attended the first roadshow says he sees much value being gained by integrating the branding process with municipal Integrated Development Plans.

The brand strategy contains a range of tools which aim to achieve this goal.

One of the more innovative tools to emerge from this strategy has been a flexible website where business owners can profile services or products at no cost. CDM is responsible for maintaining the website while product owners are in charge for product information and photographs which they need for their profiles.

It was also confirmed that destinations like Somerset East or tourism events are able register on the site. This was in response to a question by LTO officer Ros Turner.

Part of the newly designed Cacadu website, the section uses innovative Wiki technology, which allows businesses to edit and update their own profiles”.

For access, registration via www.cacadu.co.za is necessary. Once the business has added its details and these have been accepted by the web administrator, the business will “own” the space on the Cacadu website which they can modify as their products or services change.

“Marketing is key to the sustainability of products and services” says Cacadu District Municipality executive manager, Ted Pillay.

“Emerging product owners especially have battled to sustain their business due to a lack of exposure,” says Pillay.

“The Cacadu website allows for district-wide exposure. To maximize this tool, collective participation of the district’s established tourism, trade and investment enterprises through registering on the website is crucial,” explains Pillay.

Cacadu District Municipality spokesperson Janine Hambury adds that in researching the brand, businesses identified an information gap.

“The Cacadu District website aims to consolidate information on the district and create a platform for input so that it can market itself more effectively to markets within the district as well as at a national and international level,” ends Hambury.

Businesses are invited to attend the nine road shows where the branding strategy will be shared as well as demonstrations of loading information onto the website will be made. These will take place as follows:

Thursday, 12 October Ikhwezi Town Hall 10:00
Thursday, 12 October Willowmore Town Hall 14:30
Friday, 13 October Kirkwood High School 11:00
Tuesday, 17 October Kruisfontein Civic Centre (Humansdorp) 10:00
Tuesday,17 October Langkloof Buiteklub, Joubertina 14:30
Wednesday, 18 October Port Alfred Civic Centre 10:00
Wednesday, 18 October Grahamstown Town Hall 14:30