A collection of projects, bloggers, organizations and individuals that are rebranding the images and perceptions of Africa through revolutionary, innovative, revisionist, contemporary or original viewpoints about Africa.
Art & Photography:
- Afrika Knows: The brainchild of Joshua Wanyama (Kenya) and Sheila Ochugboju (Ghana)., Using the tools of digital media and social networks, Africa Knows brings together the best of photojournalism drawn from across the continent and the most active and creative new writing to tell a different story of itself. Photos depicting a real and rebranded Africa are sold as stock images to various photo galleries.
- Mio Dino: Redefining African art, the exhibit includes a unique collection of art - the first-ever 'whole-of-Africa' exhibition of its kind - and brings the diverse opportunities of business in Africa and with the global African market into view.
Blogroll:
- Africa is a country: (USA, SA, UK) - This is a combined blog written by several authors that comments on popular media coverage (commericals, ads, news etc) on the African continent that feeds into percpetions of Africa.
- Africa United (Pan African): Blog by author and journalist Steve Bloomfield, based in Nairobi since 2006, who reports from 25 countries across Africa. In the run up to Africa’s first World Cup this website will tries to put African football in a bit of context. It covers goals and games, and looks at the politics and the culture that surrounds football on the continent
- Black Looks (Nigeria) - This blog combines the works of activist, writers, but was started by Sokari Ekine, a Nigerian social justice activist living in Spain. She is interested in creating a community of grassroots African bloggers to tell their own stories in our own words.
Individuals:
- Brouwer, Ruurd (Netherlands): Africa Director of entrepreneurial development bank FMO in the Netherlands says that, in order to attract investment to the continent, we need to get rid of the sorts of images as depicted by aid agencies and instead replace them with pictures of successful African bankers driving Mercedes cars.
- Dr. Dambisa Moyo (Zambia): Economist, NY times best selling author of Dead Aid which argues against aid to Africa, and argues for more innovative ways for Africa to finance development.
- Anholt, Simon (UK): Anholt is an Independent Consultant on Branding and policy with an expertise in nation branding. He is editor of the journal, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy and is the author of several books that detail how branding and policy changes are essential for developing nations, including African nations. He states that, best results come when nations align their foreign and domestic policies with national images and sectoral promotion.
- Jamme, Marieme (Senegal/UK): - Born in Senegal, West Africa, Mariéme Jamme is a London-based philanthropist, CEO and social entrepreneur with a passionate commitment to helping empower her fellow Africans through education and social entrepreneurship. She is currently the CEO of SpotOne Global Solutions, a successful company that helps IT organizations (Editors and Software Vendors) gain a foothold in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Politicians:
- Nelson Mandela (South Africa), Former President of South Africa, Mandela is an icon that represents a unique brand in South African and African history. His image is an influential brand in South Africa that reaches all corners of the world representing resilience, wisdom, and reconciliation. His values and vision represent the values and vision for South Africas future. They also represent an African nation whos course diverged from popular political views about Africa.
Musicians:
News:
Organizations:
- The Brand Africa Project (UK): Brand Africa® is a network organization focused on communicating the possibility of Africa and the global African market.Through this network capacity, our services include; branding, marketing, design for all media, event planning, event management & delivery, campaigns, product design, advertising, public relations, interior design and architecture.
Websites:
- Afronline: The project’s aim is to encourage the development of cultural relations between Africa and Europe, particularly Italy. Its aim is to diffuse, through the offer of quality information, a better knowledge of social conditions on the African continent.
