by Oresti Patricios (@orestaki) Curiosity is the engine of learning. But without access to information, the natural curiosity of a child will be stifled. This charming ad, by MetropolitanRepublic for MTN, tells a story of curiosity and education while selling MTN’s data product.
MetropolitanRepublic’s TVC for MTN: “Duck egg”
The old and the new
Central to her learning, of course, is the computer, and it underscores the dichotomy between the old and the new — the traditional, outdoors existence of children and the connectedness of the “new world”, as provided by MTN.
As the world’s repository for information, the internet has proven itself to be the educational tool with the most potential, and, for countries such as ours, where 63% of the population say they are not connected (according to independent brand research firm, Ipsos), it’s of paramount importance for us as a country to get our children online, and fast.
The MEC for Education in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, has been talking about how the province plans to get rid of paper-based learning materials and the old-fashioned chalkboard, and replace them with technology such as tablet computers. It’s a R2-billion plan, and it is certainly ambitious, especially given the department’s problematic history in terms of service delivery and IT implementation.
Access to the best information and tuition
In principle, I’m all for it, as long as it’s well-implemented, mainly because it would give children access to the best information and tuition in the world.
I have heard real-life stories recently of underprivileged people putting themselves through school using nothing more than an internet-connected device and a data subscription. Institutions such as the Khan Academy have shown that it’s possible to teach using technology, and more and more courseware is becoming available online from universities such as MIT and Stanford, and organisations such as EdX and CodeAcademy.
Getting back to the story of the sweetest, little geeky girl to ever hatch an egg: of course, there’s a twist in the tale and, when the egg eventually breaks, what should come out but a baby crocodile?! The look of shock on the little girl’s face is classic but she is still full of wonder and curiosity, and she reaches in to touch it. It snaps at her and tries to make a meal of her finger. Her response, naturally, is to go back to her computer to ask it, “What do crocodiles eat?”
Payoff line
The payoff line is “Oh, the things you’ll learn” — homage, I think, to Dr Suess (and evoking reminiscences of childhood) — followed by the slogan “Welcome to the New World”.
According to the MetropolitanRepublic, the ad is a collaborative effort between the agency’s South African and Ugandan branches, for broadcast in Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia and South Africa. In Uganda, MetropolitanRepublic has developed an interactive “Egg Hunt” competition, which invites customers to use online research and technology to find the answers to a series of clues.
The ad has been shot with a very rich texture — deep colours, and fine attention to detail. Director Michael Middleton has elicited a nuanced performance from the young star, and overall it is a sensitively produced ad. The music is a lush, film-score style arrangement, composed for the spot by Alun Richards of Cut & Paste. The climactic moment – the baby crocodile emerging from the shell — is the work of Sinister Studios, and it is stunningly realistic 3D animation.
This is a beautiful little gem, shot with a cinematic simplicity, without any gimmicks but with a solid storyline that promotes the brand. Great stuff.
Ad of the Week, published on MarkLives every Wednesday, is penned by Oresti Patricios (@orestaki), the CEO of Ornico, a Brand Intelligence® firm that focuses on media, reputation and brand research.
If you are involved in making advertising that is smart, funny and/or engaging,
please let Oresti know about it at info@ornicogroup.co.za.
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