AEG WELCOMES SA RUGBY ICON, ‘BEAST’, AS AMBASSADOR
Amid a home improvement boom, the global household appliance company plans to strengthen its ambition to become one of South Africa’s most desirable and distinctive brands in the home space.
Premium home and kitchen appliance brand, AEG, has announced an exciting partnership with former Springbok rugby legend and business leader, Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira. The partnership was facilitated by Roc Nation Sports International.
The multi-award-winning athlete, successful businessman and devoted father of two enjoys being able to spend more time at home with his family now that he has retired from professional rugby. Among his many interesting projects and business interests, the Beast is apportioning time to the remodelling of his family kitchen to include some of the latest innovation and convenience that AEG has to offer to the market.
“I am delighted to be able to partner with AEG, being a leading manufacturer of beautifully crafted, superior home appliances and solutions that enrich peoples’ daily lives. I am especially proud to be associated with a business that is always striving to be at the forefront of sustainability in society through its solutions and operations,” says Mtawarira.
Commenting on the new collaboration, Murray Crow, Managing Director at Electrolux South Africa which manufactures household appliances for AEG Electrolux, Kwikot and Kelvinator says; “We look forward to Beast representing our brand in South Africa as he exemplifies our core brand values and focus for the country in his professional and at-home lifestyle. We are thrilled to have him onboard and look forward to working together as we promote amazing consumer experiences.”
Like many people, together with his wife, Mtawarira spent a great deal of time during the pandemic sprucing up parts of his home. The pair’s focus now is on the kitchen. “My wife and I love to cook for and entertain our family and friends and it’s therefore important that our kitchen is a comfortable space to work in and converse, as well as being functionally well-equipped, as it pretty much forms the nucleus of our family’s home. So, I’m thrilled to work with a brand that is creating sought-after living spaces,” he says.
Increase in home revamps continues as pandemic persists
The appointment of an inspirational brand ambassador like the Beast underscores AEG’s efforts to strengthen its market leadership amid a home improvement boom locally. One of the trends that emerged since the start of Covid-19 and that shows no signs of abating, is South Africans’ increased investment in home improvements. This has been good news for the local appliance sector which has already benefited from the ongoing trend to renovate the home internally, as consumers have had to adapt to the new remote working from home environment during lockdown.
Household appliances in high demand
According to consumer data and analytics experts, GfK, the global market for small and large household appliances recorded an excellent first half of 2021, with sales of small appliances up 21% and large appliances up 31% compared to the same period in 2020, which was impacted by the hard lockdown. Consumers, who are focused on home improvement, sought out value performance/capacity, high quality, and top-class appliances, especially when it comes to uses for storage, food preparation, cooking, and cleaning chores.
“The past few years have triggered huge shifts in consumer behaviour and have brought personal health and hygiene to the forefront. Over the past two years, home appliances have helped us turn our homes into places of work, education, and leisure. To meet the needs of our customers, we will be launching more market-leading, innovative, high-quality products and solutions to create transformative consumer experiences,” concludes Crow.
Editor’s notes:
Key trends for home and kitchen appliances in 2022
Last year, the theme was very much focused on ‘hometainment’ with consumers showing off their newly learned cooking skills, and home improvements post lockdown by hosting small inner social circles made up of dearest family and friends.
Headlining themes for this year include:
- Sustainability – The eco-friendly kitchen does not just entail eating green, it also includes energy-efficient food preparation and cleaning habits, using equipment made from sustainable materials. When purchasing big-ticket appliances, consumers are more likely to invest in energy-efficient options.
- Multi-functional / purpose spaces – We have all had to adapt to the new normal of working from home. The typical home is now required to flex between daytime work and a comfortable space to live and relax in the evenings with the incorporation of mobile furniture, open spaces, and more.
- Minimalization – Staying in line with new beginnings and fresh starts, one of the overarching trends for the year ahead is going back to basics – with less is more. Minimalism enhances the liveability of a space, an important factor in this new work- from-home era.
- Smart appliance technology – the incorporation of technology is a main theme for kitchen appliances this year. From LCD screens inside the fridge that can control temperature via Wi-Fi, to Bluetooth-enabled devices, you can now have the power of your kitchen from a distance. Several new trends allow you to hook everything up using a mobile app and sync your appliances with your smartphone, to add ease and efficiency to the overall kitchen and cooking experience. For example, you can now be sent an alert if your fridge door has been left open, perform diagnostics, or keep track of the groceries inside. Appliances can also be controlled via Alexa or Google Assistant.
Electrolux produces and sells the Kwikot, AEG,Electrolux and Kelvinator brands in South Africa. Globally, Electrolux products include refrigerators, freezers, ovens, cookers, hobs, hoods, microwave ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, air purifiers and small domestic appliances.