Post date: May 09, 2013 3:52:5 PM
Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela's face has appeared on everything from T-shirts to new bank notes. The Mandela brand includes a variety of products like the '46664' fashion range, named after the number he was given during his 27 years in prison, the "Long Walk to Freedom", "67 Minutes" charity push and the "House of Mandela" wine range.
SOUTH AFRICA (REUTERS) - For years, the face of one of South Africa's most beloved figures, anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela has inspired clothing lines, jewellery, coins, medals, stationery, cutlery, souvenirs, artworks and so on, all of which have fuelled debate over the use of his image.
This battle on who should own the Mandela brand is set to intensify, as two of the former president's daughters try to push Mandela's long time friend and advocate,George Bizos and other advisors out of companies connected to the Mandela.Makaziwe Mandela and Zenani Dlamini allege amongst other things that Bizos and other associates were not appointed by the former president as major shareholders or directors, and have applied for a legal order to have them removed.
If the application is granted, Makaziwe and Zenani will be the only two directors of the companies set up to manage proceeds from the sale of his image. These companies are worth around R15 million (1.6 million USD).
According to some analysts, the legal wrangle has raised the concerns over the need to protect the image of the apartheid icon to avoid the risk of his image being exploited.
"The mixture of being a world leader and a politician as well as a spiritual and global icon makes a very potent and a very toxic mix when you talk about brands, because the it will be open to complete abuse, and complete commercialisation." said Dion Chang, a corporate trend analyst and owner of Flux Trends, adding: "I even own a Sishewshwe apron with Mandela's likeness on it. That is going to get even more difficult and I think you can only contain it in so many ways, but the is going to be a rampant commercialisation of his image, of his likeness, of his name."
Although analysts warn that it will be difficult to control the Mandela brand in the digital age, Sello Hatang, head of communication of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said that as custodians of the brand, the foundation will ensure his image is protected and respected.
"Our view is that Madiba's rights and the protections provided for in terms of his image should be respected, and that message has been sinking and like I said the members of the public who would raise an objection," said Hatang.
Outfits like the South African Gold Coin Exchange and The Coin Shop, which has unveiled a new set of coins featuring the former president, say using his image is a way of celebrating and reminding people what he represents for the country.
"In fact 10 years ago in 2004, the South african mint then brought out the tenth anniversary democracy coin featuring the union buildings and Nelson Mandela. Up until then there wasn't a great interest in Mr Mandela either. So it was that coin 10 years ago that was the turning point. It was the most successful mint product ever, they minted 6000 of them, they all sold, and today some of those coins sell for about R40 000/ R50 000. and some of the special ones sell for over R100 000," said Alan Demby, Executive Chairman of the South African Gold Coin Exchange Coin Shop.
Some of the brands established by other family members include the Long Walk To Freedom - set up by Mandela's grandchildren Zamaswazi Dlamini and Zaziwe Dlamini in 2012.
Nelson Mandela's granddaughters Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway and Swati Dlaminirecently launched a TV series that takes viewers into their private lives.
The two grew up and still live in the US, where the series was filmed.
But the show has received poor reviews after it premiered in South Africa, where people took to social media and called it "distasteful" and an "exploitation" of the Mandela brand.