Zakumi statue at the Riverside Mall with the official Adidas Jabulani match ball
It has been close to two months now that Zakumi’s statue and the giant Adidas Jabulani match ball have been visible in our courts. We have moved the statue around quite a lot to accommodate exhibition needs. Presently it is placed right next to the giant match ball (Adidas is one of the FIFA partners) and the two complement each other in the food court, which is by the game arcades and Nu Metro Cinema. After the two arrived, up went miniature match balls on sport shop display windows. Customers walking around the Mall cannot help but feel the soccer mania.
The two have created excitement for all age groups to the extent that fans come to the Mall kitted out in soccer jerseys to take group photos around the display. Kids get so fascinated by the cute Zakumi and his funky hairdo that they keep touching and kissing him much to the dismay of the cleaners, who are responsible for keeping them both clean and neat. This is really wonderful considering that excited shoppers are happy spenders.
These are the first two steps toward a much broader 2010 strategy at Riverside. The Adidas truck tour, which is carrying a giant soccer jersey around the country, will be visiting the centre from 3-6 March, and the centre has been named an official FIFA Park & Ride venue for the Mbombela Stadium and Fan Park.