For the first time in the world, a nation will define its own formula and will be able to measure its progress against the wishes of its citizens. Brand South Africa, the nation’s marketing arm, together with the Department of Arts and Culture, who are custodians of our national symbols, social cohesion and nation building, and Bluprints have undertaken to discover the Formula for a South African - a recipe for how we should, and should not behave.
More than 65,000 South Africans have shared their opinions about what we need to more of and less of to succeed. A further 11,400 have shared with the Department of Arts and Culture the values we should subscribe to as a nation in the South African at Heart campaign.
Says Miller Motola, CEO of Brand South Africa, "We have got opinions from every corner of South African society and we have been quite amazed about the similarity in responses. We share much more than divides us. This process is not about what government does. It’s about what we are all going to do. There’s a clear path we need to follow to co-create the country we want to be part of."
"Formula of a South African complements Play Your Part – Brand South Africa’s nationwide campaign created to inspire, empower and celebrate active citizenship in South Africa. We aim to inspire South Africans to contribute to positive change, become involved and start doing something, whether big or small, to contribute to a better future for all.
"No formula of a South African would be complete without you. We need your help to discover what it is that makes us great, and what lets us down. Please get involved by voting in the Formula of a South African election by 12 July 2012. We now have 21 top line (do more of) and 19 bottom line (do less of) characteristics. To vote , all you have to do is select the most important top line characteristic and most important bottom line characteristic that make us uniquely South African."
How to vote
Online at www.formulasa.co.za, www.facebook.com/FormulaSouthAfrica and via your mobile phone at wap.formulasa.co.za . South Africans without access to the internet, will be approached via various NGOs to complete a paper based questionnaire.
One million South Africans will also be receiving an SMS to vote. They have been selected on the basis of age, race, gender and geography. Formula of a South African is one of the largest research undertakings in South Africa and Brand South Africa are making sure to include every sector of our society so that the final result is truly representative of what we all think.
South Africans will be asked to elect one top line behaviour (what we should do more of) from a list of 21 and one bottom line behaviour (what we should do less of) from a list of 19.
Once the final data is collated, a formula will be produced. Then, to make this scientific process come alive, the Department of Arts and Culture will task visual artists to develop a piece of art to illustrate each of the concepts selected. This will be developed into an exhibition and it will be unveiled to the South African public in a national roadshow later this year. "Through a widely shared art exhibition developed by various artists, we will be able to engage both the right and left brain thereby effectively instilling these principles at a subconscious level," says Dudu Nchoba, Chief Director: Social Cohesion Department of Arts and Culture.
The Department of Arts and Culture will selected the artists from universities and art institutions across the country. A framework will be developed together with the art network that will see young, talented artists participating in this project.
Most importantly, the Formula of a South African will be measured regularly to find out to what extent we are aligning with the formula to create a genuine shift towards a more successful society.
Formula SA will be using the tested Bluprints methodology. This approach has been implemented with a great deal of ongoing success in leading South African organisations such as Tsogo Sun and Deloitte Consulting as well as international organisations such as Fedex and Ernst & Young. Bluprints have discovered that all businesses have a blueprint, or a set formula which is a unique and optimum way of functioning to maximise success in a particular environment.
The primary objective of Brand South Africa is to develop and implement a pro-active marketing and communication strategy for South Africa, and to promote South Africa locally and internationally. Domestically, the Department of Arts and Culture aim is to build and sustain national pride and patriotism.
SA - the Good News
Steuart has done some 500 talks on South Africa's progress since 1994 and SA's prospects for the future' 
