According to UN Trade and Development, it’s estimated that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in South Africa account for over two million companies, represent over 98% of formal businesses, and have experienced two-digit growth in the last years. Supporting these businesses is crucial for economic recovery.
In honour of Madiba's life and legacy and his commitment to changing the world for the better, Over the Rainbow, a social enterprise that offers entrepreneurs guidance, support and connections for SMEs has once again launched their annual 67 Logos Designathon, this year in partnership with SimplyBiz, powered by Nedbank, who are committed to helping showcase the immense talent and unique and resilient business owners present in South Africa.
Because first impressions are vital for business success and given that it only takes people an average of three seconds to form an impression of a brand, and five to seven impressions for consumers to recognise a company logo, Over the Rainbow is calling upon small businesses and designers to join the 2024, 67 Logos Designathon.
All that SMEs need to do is enter to be matched with a designer and designers are invited to volunteer their time towards this worthy cause.
Designers will be selected and matched with small businesses based on their passions, experiences and profiles. Once they have applied, designers will receive a brief via email and will then liaise directly with their matched businesses so that they can start working on the logos in their own time. All the logos will have to be submitted by 17h00 on Wednesday, 17 July 2024.
Based on the survey results, of all the 250 businesses that have been part of this initiative, 86% are still using the logos that were designed for them, 91% are still in business, 72% had an increase in revenue for the past financial year and 66% have employed staff and have grown their team.
“Our passion is to help businesses succeed and through 67 Logos we are not only giving businesses the chance to stand out with a professionally designed logo, we are also giving the designer a platform to showcase their creativity and talent to create new business opportunities for them. Why a logo? Because it transcends language barriers, and quickly elevates the business idea and positioning. It gives a business an identity, a purpose, and a chance to stand out and ultimately defines one’s brand identity,” says Lesley Waterkeyn, brainchild behind the initiative.
In addition to the logos and exposure, businesses will receive because of being a part of the 67 Logos Designathon, 10 competition participants will also have access to a six-month mentorship programme valued at R75,000.00. All participants will also have access to Nedbank’s free business development platform, SimplyBiz, which is open to all entrepreneurs, even if they are not Nedbank clients.
The platform offers an array of practical tools, guides and competitions, to boost small business owners, including the SimplyBiz Change Gear toolkit and Powershot Cafés to ensure they are supported with mentorship and networking opportunities along their business journey.
“The 67 Logos Designathon will allow us to positively impact and boost the next 134 entrepreneurs and we hope that through their rebranding, this creates more awareness of the businesses and most importantly leads to sales, growth, and expansion for the businesses. Supporting small businesses is after all part of our ongoing commitment to offer Banking & Beyond® solutions that are real and relevant for entrepreneurs at all life stages,” says Alan Shannon, executive: client engagement, small business services and private clients at Nedbank.
"One of many challenges that inhibit the growth and sustainability of small businesses is access to markets and opportunities that can scale their businesses, and the 67 Logos initiative addresses this challenge by removing the complexity and barriers to entry by fostering relationships between prospective clients and designers which would otherwise be difficult to forge under normal circumstances. As Nedbank, we are encouraged that this initiative is much more than an opportunity to be empowered financially but it is also a platform for participants to form meaningful relationships with businesses that have the potential to be long-term clients in the long run," adds Shannon.
To become part of this year’s 67 Logos Designathon, enter on SimplyBiz.co.za
Entries for businesses to apply for a logo close on 7 July 2024.
