Season 6, Episode 2 – Halala Afrika!

What a rich, colourful, beautiful, and inspiring weekend. As a nation, South Africans have always had “gees”. We are, after all, the home of the vuvuzela, biltong, the makarapa, and umqombothi. Give us an opportunity, and we’ll place the SA flag on the side mirrors of a car, or wear it triumphantly after winning a rugby game. We’re the same people who’ve put the “eish” into Eskom (Eishkom) as well as a brandy and coke.

This weekend was our opportunity to honour our heritage as we recognised and celebrated the cultural wealth of our nation. From umqhele to vellies, striking colours and patterns on skirts and tops to the plumes of braai smoke and the rich aroma or biryani. Our individual strands make for a truly unique South African tapestry.

As part of our tapestry, there are brands who’ve added their own colour and flavour to our nation and are synonymous with the South African story. How do brands remain relevant in an established yet changing cultural landscape?

Being a mirror to the mood is an effective way to become part of the narrative or to even create it. The early days of cellphone company advertising is in my opinion a great example of this as Vodacom sculpted a series of adverts under the “Yebo Gogo” payoff line. The adverts allowed us to recognise ourselves in what was then a fairly new South Africa and embrace our differences to connect. The subtle nuances, characterisation and timing helped establish Vodacom as part of the South African conversation. Vodacom have also tapped into our love of sport and created a series of adverts that made the fans part of the team. Moods will change and brands who are able to recognise the power of what makes us unique will remain local favourites!

Food is a central theme in Mzansi. From “finger licking good”, to t’s good, good, good, it’s nice” and the continual social commentary and humour of Nando’s, brands that aren’t ‘chicken’ to use a variety of advertising platforms, have proved that 360-degree advertising takes you from being a takeout meal to a winner, winner chicken dinner! Being quick to react, creating a brand personality and understanding what your unique proposition is, can entrench you into the hearts and budgets of consumers. Wimpy is synonymous with road trips and coffee stops and, as a brand, has managed to continue to talk to South Africans. From “I love it when you speak foreign” to talking local, Wimpy’s simple use of language goes a long way in expressing their love and appreciation for the South African consumer.  Promoting and celebrating mother tongue language not only elevates the importance of using and investing into language development, but it also recognises the role of different languages in society. In my mind Cadbury’s “In Your Own Words” managed to add more than a glass and a half to the South African story by inspiring more children to read in their mother tongue.

As we come to the end of Heritage Month, let’s continue to honour our heritage. Traditional food, clothing and rituals are what make us proudly South African and unique as individuals. Let’s normalise local outfits, understand the significance of culture beyond Heritage Day and embrace the motto on our coat of arms, ke e: /xarra //ke (diverse people unite).