Meagre BOT50 budget forces tender cancellation
Tefo Pheage | Tuesday May 3, 2016 15:51
Bidders have been notified that government has cancelled the tender due to financial constratints. The government had initially awarded the committee P54 million to run the prorgammes, but the commitee requested a supplement to make it P100 million. The BOT50 tenders have been marred by controversy with many accusing the authorities of corruption.
In an interview with The Monitor last week, the Commitee Coordinator, Charity Kgotlafela said one of the challenges they continue to encounter was that of insufficient funds.
“We had intended a full vehicle branding but we have now resorted to use stickers as an alternative,” she said.
It is not clear how this can affect the branding of the BOT50, but advertising gurus say it will do a great deal of harm. Wrapping vehicles, they say, is one of the most effective branding systems you can resort to. Based on the location of the vehicle, a branded vehicle can receive thousands of impressions per day. Whether the vehicle is moving along the highway, parked or anywhere, it gets noticed.
Numerous international studies also suggest that 96 percent of surveyed people say fleet graphics had more impact than other forms of outdoor media. Recently the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng, had a meeting with the private sector to appeal to them to assist with branding but sources say not many have extended their hands. Asked about these, Kgotlafela said they will be following up on the minister’s appeals in due course.
“The minister was appealing specifically on the issue of branding,” she said.
Kgotlafela said her committee has lined up events to create more awareness, hype and excitement towards the 50th independence celebrations. Regarding allegations of corruption, Kgotlafela said her committee did all in its power to ensure that tenders benefited Batswana across the country.
“We continue to engage all including the youth, students and even the vulnerable to have a hand and benefit in this national cake and I am happy that we have a handul of young people who have contributed and benefitted from this,” she said. “The scultpres and signs you see all over are being done by young Batswana in the remote areas.”
The committee will increase the branding in the next two months. Even trees will adorn national colours. She asked individual Batswana to support branding initiatives by buying T-shirts, umbrellas, hats, hand national flags and other memorabilia.
Ongoing promotions include fashion shows, carnival market days, cultural festivals and traditional games. Billboards and other forms of publicity will follow soon.