Local retailer, Game, was this month named South Africa’s tenth strongest brand according to Brand Finance’s 2023 ‘South Africa 100’ report – up from 92nd place just last year, after a 36-point increase in its Brand Strength Index score.

This is the first time the 53-year-old brand has entered the top ten, amongst other brands such as FNB, Capitec, Woolworths, Checkers and Pick n Pay. Katherine Madley, Massmart’s Vice President of Brand Marketing, attributes this achievement to a creative environment and a strong team of strategists and marketers.

“The Game brand was strong from inception in the 70’s through to the 90s,” she says. “It was well-known and considered the home of electronics and appliances, while being a destination for things like snacks, music, and outdoor products. However, the brand lost its way in the 2000s and was in a dire state come 2019.”

Madley notes that the brand was repositioned bravely by former Game Vice President, Andrew Stein, who trusted Madley’s marketing team. “He invested time and effort into repositioning the brand, while we continued on our Turnaround Strategy. Together, we created an environment where creativity could thrive – which involved putting together a team of strong marketers, who worked toward a clear brand positioning strategy.”

The team then partnered with The Odd Number as their lead creative agency, who leaned into the brand’s rebellious tone and introduced the tag line “You’ve got Game”. King James and Atmosphere were also introduced as partners, working as digital experts and PR specialists, respectively – which Madley said helped to bring the brand back to life. “The Odd Number continue to build our brand and bring it into our product and price promotions,” she adds.

While positioning was incredibly important in resurrecting the brand, Madley notes that in the background Game remained true to its customer proposition – offering unbeatable deals and its Price Beat Promise on every item that it stocks. The retailer has also invested in improving customer service, and refreshed both its in-store and online offering.

“The truth is that our work has only really begun, as we continue to put in the work to remain one of South Africa’s most-loved brands,” she concludes.