If people feel under-represented, then clubbing together with people can help us find a voice and feel better.

If people feel sufficiently represented, then there’s no real need to support the group – we can start to take our status for granted.

Personally, this never swayed me to buy a product when I lived in the UK. However now in South Africa I will buy the products marked ‘proudly South African’ in preference to others, even if the SA products are more expensive.

A tin of imported Italian tomatoes is cheaper to buy here than a tin of locally produced and tinned tomatoes. I believe this is due to European farm subsidies. It symbolises all that is wrong with the economic relationship between the West and Africa. I never believed that those heavily-subsidised British farmers really needed my support. I do however passionately believe in supporting African industry. Africa doesn’t need charity from the West, it needs business. The former Nigerian finance minister agrees.

I think that blogging can have a positive impact on local business (just look at Stormhoek), and blogging is definitely taking off in Africa, even in those countries where internet penetration is tiny.

I think it is a natural consequence of cultures that are commonly overwhelmed by products/services from other countries.

Being an Englishman living in Australia I am highly atuned to the “made in Australia” type marketing attributed to everything from websites to real world products/services.

Were we just oblivious to this in the UK or do British companies not use this approach?

Iain