Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new — product, packaging, design, insight, food, décor and more!
- Brand Union brings JPO logo alive
- Woolies launches summer campaign
- Jack Daniels launches on DStv
Bringing movement to music
When Brand Union was commissioned to create a new logo for the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO), the brief included capturing the energy of Johannesburg city and visually distinguishing the JPO from other orchestras. This has resulted in a striking image that captures the movement of the orchestra itself.
The JPO had experienced financial difficulties over the last several years and had successfully come out of business rescue, appointing Bongani Tembe as chief executive and artistic director. This has resulted in a revitalised vision, and a board of directors comprising credible business and community leaders and led by Justice Dikgang Moseneke. According to Tembe, the JPO aspires to be internationally recognised for its artistic excellence, innovation, education initiatives and community engagement programmes: “Our vision is based on the affirmation of the value and transformative power of music to inspire and build connections among Johannesburg’s diverse population, thereby contributing to nation-building.”
The brief then, was to reestablish the JPO as a credible cultural force that is relevant to a wider, younger and more diverse South African audience, and to balance cultural excellence and sophistication with modernity and vibrancy. The new look had to create a sense of place clearly of and for the city, capture the energy of Johannesburg, and visually distinguish the JPO from other leading orchestras.
Says Tembe, “Johannesburg has its own distinctive rhythm — a natural beat and energy. The new logo is an extension of this through the dynamic interpretation of the Nelson Mandela Bridge, which is synonymous with the city.”
Explains Mathew Weiss, MD of Brand Union Africa, “Our team chose the bridge as the heart of the new logo, because it is an iconic Johannesburg landmark, but also because a bridge is a metaphor for connections. In a city too often known for its divisions, music is something that brings us together. This is an inspiring and unique story for an orchestra to tell.”
Its visual hooks are the strings and the movement of a conductor’s hand in leading the orchestra. With its gold and black touch, the new JPO logo conveys a message of dynamic energy and confidence — themes that are synonymous with the City of Gold (eGoli).
The logo defines the marriage of art, music and a city that carries pride.
brandunion.com • Facebook • Twitter
jpo.co.za • Facebook • Twitter
Woolies wellness
Woolies has launched a multi-channel marketing campaign to support its summer food range, focused on living and eating well and with a strong underlying message that good health is about people, communities, animals and the planet.
Its internal agency and brand team has designed the campaign to meet the target audience where they’re at: content has been strategically crafted for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, as well as various media channels, radio and TV.
Insights around consumer behaviour have been used to create the #startswith challenge, a Facebook event designed to motivate and support all participants. The challenge invites people to take part in a seven-week balanced living challenge, driven by their own personal goals.
Four women who represent true South African bodies and lifestyles — body positivity activist Thick Leeyonce; momtrepreneur Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp; fitness fan and lawyer Tracey-Lee Lusty; and chef and blogger Luyanda Mafanya — provide the motivation.
Says Glenda Philp, Woolworths head of brand for foods, “Our customer-led campaign invites the audience straight in. We’ve seen incredible uptake in responses and robust engagement, which has resulted in a motivated community of Woolies challengers being born.”
A series of TVCs showcasing a world of wellbeing, plus in-store visuals and messaging, are intended to add value to the social campaigns.
Fred Benistant, Woolworths head of creative, explains, “The agency also ensured that Woolies brings authority in further content pieces which feature trusted food suppliers unpacking their responsible farming and fishing practices. The intent behind the campaign was to motivate a nation. It’s a call to action to live a better, healthier life.”
woolworths.co.za • Facebook • Twitter
Finding the gentleman in Jack
Jack Daniels’ new TVC for Gentleman Jack, which began airing on DStv channels yesterday, Monday, 9 October 2017, is reminiscent of a Vanity Fair photo shoot, featuring actual Jack Daniel’s distillery employees dressed in sophisticated formal wear and striking glamourous poses.
- Watch the Jack’s Distillery workers in the new Gentleman Jack TV ad
- Watch the vertical Facebook ad
- Watch The Gentleman Jack behind-the-scenes ad here
The ads are meant to demonstrate the special ingredients that make a Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey — the pride and craftmanship of the people of Lynchburg, Tennessee.
Introducing viewers to a series of employees, beginning with foreman, Chris Grizzard Junior, who has worked at the distillery for 13 years alongside his father, Chris Grizzard Senior, who has been at the distillery for 44 years, the ad uses the Grizzard family to represent the smooth transition from Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey to the double mellowed Gentleman Jack. Chris Junior’s love for family is highlighted. Meticulously dressed alongside his father, they share a generational moment that characterises the overall hard work and care they together invest into crafting Gentleman Jack.
The idea is for consumers to take away the true friendliness of the people at the distillery when they see the personalities and pride that go into the making of the whiskey.
The campaign, created by Arnold Worldwide, presents a town where honest, authentic living and family values are a priority, and places this as synonymous with the making of Gentleman Jack.
jackdaniels.com • Facebook • Twitter
arn.com • Facebook • Twitter
Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things new. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.
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