Bruce Lee vs Mandela
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We all know the saying “cheap is expensive in the long run”. And it certainly applies to products imported from China. There’s a knock-on effect when you buy those knock-offs. The goods are made from inferior material (hence the low price) and as a result their lifespan is much shorter. So you end up throwing things away at a faster rate. And then of course you need to replace what you threw away. This inevitably leads to a cycle of more waste.
We’ve all seen the negative impact importing from China has had on the clothing and textile industry. Other mass production-related industries have seen a dramatic decrease in jobs. Buying local goods supports the local community. The demand creates more job opportunities, which uplifts your fellow countryman. This in turn has a positive effect on the economy and uplifts you.
Intelligent Marketing has founded a Community Employment Program (CEP). Through this program, individuals from local communities are equipped with various skills and employment opportunities. The CEP also supports small, local business by creating a platform from which they can market and sell their products.
“All businesses follow our mandate of environmental sustainability and harness individual creativity for the benefit of local families and a healthy planet,” says Clyde Parton from Intelligent Marketing. “By channeling our production process through the CEP, we create a truly Triple Bottom Line for our clients.”
Cape Town is the World Design Capital for 2014, so we definitely have some serious talent in our country. South Africans are innovative and creative, and we produce amazing, high-quality products. So why not get behind buying local. Sure, Bruce Lee is an icon, but who is more iconic than the late, great Nelson Mandela.