Blog  > Thought Leadership  > Call to improve the Eastern Cape's offering

Industry expert, Glenn van Eck, has called on corporates in the Eastern Cape to embrace the authentic conference and incentive offerings that the province has to offer. The Magnetic Storm CEO says that the traditional destinations offer little in a market where creating memorable and fresh experiences are the key to launches and meetings. “Companies invest millions in developing a new offering and then don’t stand out in a market that is totally over-communicated.”   

Van Eck believes that the meetings market is changing dramatically at the moment. Markets want to be blown away by every aspect of the experience of the get-together and the unauthentic same old venues used by corporates no longer excite the new generations of businessmen and consumers. “We need to reconnect with our target individuals and what matters most in their lives, and then package that and market it aggressively.” 

While Nelson Mandela Bay and East London are the main hubs for corporate roadshows, internal and regional meetings in the Eastern Cape, he believes that it is a shame that many of national and international organisations within the province’s borders hold their big events in the larger business centers.

“We need to rethink our competitive advantages and package offerings that offer huge value in the face of the cost challenges such as airfares,” Van Eck commented. “Access for international delegates is also more convenient and cheaper to Cape Town and Johannesburg than it is to fly on to our hubs. We need to develop and market must-see experiences for them as well.”

Working within the industry for 35 years, Magnetic Storm has forged long-term relationships with brands operating in the Eastern Cape and mostly work with the internal communications department or their HR teams. “Most larger organisations have their marketing teams in larger cities, where the big product launches and national marketing functions are then held,” says van Eck. “We need Eastern Cape companies to lead the exposure of our province as an authentic opportunity to break the clutter of experiences that no longer inspire WOW.”  

Van Eck believes that it is time for radical innovation in the Eastern Cape where all suppliers have a common desirable vision and have a team approach to taking it to market. “Then we need our corporates to start using the facilities that buy in to the vision of excellence and authentic experiences for the future. If people don’t laugh at our vision, its not big enough,” he concluded.