World can learn from top SA ads

We tend to overlook local examples when doing case studies for clients, and instead use the oh-too-familiar global icons such as Apple and Coco-Cola. These examples of best practice are of course great and have rightly earned their titles as the most successful brands in the world, but if you’re looking to position your own brand within the South African market, surely it is best to look at some local winners?

Within this country we have a melting pot of cultures, languages, living standards and consumer needs and wants. So surely if brands can make it here, they can make it anywhere?

Themes common amongst SA’s top brands are:

Be challenging:  Capitec has grown dramatically in the last decade as a result of their courage to turn banking on its head. By targeting a market that has previously not been correctly catered for, they were able to take advantage of the gap by using accessibility techniques such as retail outlets to satisfy consumers more easily. Their marketing, of including the bank in the story line of Generations, is well aligned and been successful so far.

Be bold: There’s nothing better than a brand with a little guts, willing to challenge the norm and be disruptive in everyday activities. Nando’s is the best example of this. Their boldness and courage has turned them into an icon, with consumers constantly forwarding their adverts relating to a current affairs topic. Their cheeky nature and political commentary have them making conversations throughout the world.

Be relevant: Relevance is differentiating brand around the world as consumers are well trained in filtering out information that doesn’t pertain to their individual needs. Checkers is a good example of using unfavourable economic conditions and turning this into positive opportunities for their brand whereby consumers don’t change their lifestyle but rather their supermarket. This understanding of the consumer’s mindset at this particular time has the business succeeding in numerous markets.

Be local: Embracing one’s roots and staying true to what you stand for rather than acting like something you’re not is a characteristic of great brands. Klipdrift has carefully used a tapping into of the local market to do this, while not over using sensitive stereotypes. Everyday characters makes the brand endearing, while few are able to order the drink without thinking ‘met eish ja, met eish’.

Hopefully in future we can learn more from these local successes, and prove that local really is lekker.

Bianca de Beer, OIL JHB intern

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