Vega News Item Details

Vega Gets the Google Glam

"The consumer," says Stafford Massie, head of Google South Africa "Has never been more powerful in the history of commerce. They have a voice, outside of their geographical locations, that is making judgments about your brand. Brand building is important - possibly the most single important element - moving forward in the marketing space."

Massie was addressing the new wave of 2009 graduates fresh out of Vega, The Brand Communications School at the Sandton Convention Centre on Monday the 23rd of February. He joined an illustrious guest list that included many of the major players in the marketing, advertising and communications industry - Ogilvy Johannesburg, TBWA Hunt Lascaris, and HKLM.

Vega, a division of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE), has taken a leaf out of their own book and repositioned themselves, focusing on the importance of increased industry engagement as part of a strategic approach to brand education. Vega has a national and regional advisory councils who have constantly reviewed our syllabus, ensuring that we are constantly abreast of new developments within the industry.

The school launched a BA Degree in Brand Building and Management in 2008. "The establishment of the degree was born out of a need to provide the industry with graduates who are able to make a meaningful difference to 21st century businesses," says Gordon Cook Vega School Navigator. He believes that the new degree offers both a strategic and analytical approach to brand building. He said: " we want a new breed of thinkers who can provide creative and innovative approaches to developing and sustaining brands." Gordon Cook, co-founder and current head of Vega, explains that the repositioning and new courses reflect the changes in the market. "Tying in with Massie's comments, our graduates are going out into the industry with a different perspective on 'brand building'. They're going to be asking some hard questions of current brands during an economic upheaval that has completely shifted the industry's understanding of what makes a business and brand successful.

"To cite Google, the digital platform is going to play a massive role in brand's communications with the consumer, and our graduates are ready to take advantage of that space." In an individual interview, Massie describes Vega's new approach as refreshing. "Google is the strongest brand in the world, and we achieved that through business philosophies that differ from our competitors. I think that their willingness to expose students to new ideas, and providing a platform for industry to engage with the students directly stands out.

"I believe the Vega student is going to have a more rounded, informed view coming into the current market place."