by Oresti Patricios (@orestaki) Last week’s ‘highlight’ was undoubtedly the State of the Nation (SONA) address in Parliament. Most people knew it was going to be exciting — I just don’t know if anyone expected it to be as exciting as it was. Well, until the actual speech got underway, that is.
Many Twitter users streaming #SONA2015 on the day would have spotted the Photoshopped images of President Jacob Zuma, leader of the opposition Helen Zille, and EFF ‘Commander in Chief’ Julius Malema in various different scenes, enjoying a ‘good time’ together. The pictures also found their way onto various blogs, such as Mzansi Girl and 5FM DJ Stephanie B.
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In one scene, the three are laughing outrageously on the beach; in another, they are playing a game of poker; in the third, they are screaming with delight on a funfair ride. And there is a fourth person there, but most people were unable to recognise him.
It was a mystery, because the pictures were unbranded, and came from an unknown source. And therein lies the smart (if somewhat deceptive) aspect of this campaign.
Following the SONA, the pictures were retweeted, this time clearly from @TOPSatSPAR, and added TOPS branding and a slogan graphic, reading “The language that brings parties together. Help make ‘Party’ SA’s 12th official language. Sign the petition” — with a link to the Facebook page and the hashtag #Barliament.
The Facebook page and other TOPS marketing material are dominated by the same jovial figure seen in the pictures: he is the TOPS “Honourable Minister of Parties & Recreation” — a character created as part of the ongoing TOPS campaign that has spawned terms such as “Drinktionary”, and plays on the double-meaning of the word “party”. The agency behind this? TBWA Durban.
TBWA Durban for TOPS at Spar: “A Message from our HONOURABLE MINISTER”
TOPS is, of course, the liquor retailer run as a sub-brand of Spar in South Africa. It has a very strong social media presence, while also running ads in mainstream media. Most of its messaging focuses on humour and fun, more so than the ‘discount’ and ‘convenience’ aspects of its offering.
But it’s not all joking and laughter.
As with most liquor brands, TOPS has espoused an anti-drunk-driving policy; as part of this, it has produced the free Dryver app for smartphones, which is a social network system that helps you call a buddy or locate a taxi service when you’ve had one too many. This helps to position the brand as also having a caring and socially responsible aspect.
The humourous idea behind the “12th Official Language” and the “Drinktionary” is to create fun new words such as “Braai-hard” — an individual who continues braaiing against all odds — come wind, rain or loadshedding. Or there’s the “Kwaai-toe star” — a woman who has mastered the art of dancing in high heels.
These have all been celebrated in the TV ad campaign, so what is notable in this case is the way in which the power of Twitter has been harnessed to elicit further recognition and traction for the campaign.
On a day when social media was dominated by citizen postings, according to Ornico research, the TOPS brand managed to make its mark by adding a little lightness to the pomp and ceremony leading up to the event.
So let’s raise a glass to TOPS, TBWA Durban, and the 12th Official Language of SA: the language of Party.
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.
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