The Eastern Cape Geographical Names Council has put forward proposals to rename Port Alfred, Alexandria, and the Kowie River, asserting that these changes are crucial for restoring indigenous identity and rectifying colonial erasure. However, this initiative has met with significant apprehension from some local residents and business owners. They express concerns that these proposed name changes threaten to dismantle decades of established brand equity, adversely impact tourism, and potentially destabilize the local economy.

Jennifer Schoultz, an advocate for a balanced approach, argues that the preservation of heritage and sound economic principles are not mutually exclusive and should, in fact, coexist. She highlights that towns like Port Alfred and Alexandria are far more than mere geographical points; they are deeply established brands endowed with considerable historical, cultural, and economic value. The prospective name alterations, as suggested by the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (ECPGNC), pose a substantial risk of eroding this accumulated brand equity, disrupting vital tourism inflows and investment, and imposing significant financial and logistical burdens upon the community and the broader local economy.

The intrinsic value of place names as powerful brands is undeniable. Such names can possess immense equity, functioning much like robust commercial brands that attract tourism and investment. Iconic cities worldwide, including Cape Town, New York, Paris, Venice, and Stellenbosch, demonstrate this principle. Their names transcend simple geographic labels; they serve as a shorthand for specific experiences, inherent promises, rich histories, and a spectrum of mental associations, often shaping perceptions long before actual visits. This is precisely why nations invest billions in developing and safeguarding their place brands.

Port Alfred, much like the former Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), holds substantial intangible value rooted in familiarity, trust, and recognition, further enriched by emotional connections, historical narratives, memories, and associations. While places like Gqeberha, Makhanda, and Tshwane have undergone renaming, the text suggests that new equity has not been effectively built into these names, potentially diminishing their associative power. Effective rebranding, it is posited, should ideally carry forward the positive equity, core values, iconic symbols, and cherished memories associated with the original place. The fundamental impetus behind these renaming efforts is explicitly stated as a desire to sever ties with a colonial past.