The ad leads an extensive through-the-line campaign also utilising digital, public relations and point-of-sale. It was conceived by 1886’s executive creative Stuart Stobbs, creative director Toni Hughes, art directors Coralee Barnes and Joanne Theron, and copywriter Conrad De Kock; and directed by Egg Films’ Dani Hynes. 1886 is an independent agency within the FCB South Africa partnership.
The TVC is the South African marketing team’s interpretation of the brand’s long-term global sustainability strategy – ‘We Care’ – which aims to strengthen families worldwide by focusing on the all-important values of closeness, trust and responsibility.
Given that, in African culture, the spirit of togetherness extends beyond what the rest of the world perceives as the nuclear family and revolves around ubuntu, it puts the spotlight on three remarkable individuals. Seemingly very ordinary folk at first, it is later disclosed how they selflessly care for others.
Boitumelo is shown rubbing Nivea into her baby’s skin; only the baby is her sister’s and she adopted him after her sister tragically passed away shortly after child birth. Michael is teaching his son how to tie his tie; but the only thing they have in common is the community-based programme of care in which Michael, an orphan himself, is a mentor. Finally, there’s Hazel, an elderly lady who empowers young black women to become self-supporting by teaching them how to sew, knit and work with beads so that they can make a living.
1886 also shot three documentaries telling these individuals’ stories; these will be shown at Nivea events around the country and posted on their website.
Given a consumer insight that strongly linked ‘care’ with ‘family’, Beiersdorf’s marketing team for Nivea briefed 1886 to develop a corporate social responsibility campaign that would demonstrate the caring nature of the brand not only for skin, but for all South African families.
The agency’s response was to use real people offering real care to those less fortunate than themselves, and then for Nivea to make a difference in those people’s lives by supporting them in a number of different ways.
"For the first time in history, Nivea created a television commercial, not featuring models, but real South African people. The commercial tells the story of three everyday heroes in South Africa and celebrates their incredible acts of kindness and generosity. These people not only love, but also live by the true embodiment of ubuntu – the belief that together we are so much more," explained Kerstin Bird, marketing director of Beiersdorf Southern Africa.
She adds: "Nivea invested just over R1-million in 2014 in the people and NGOs behind its TV commercial. Furthermore, the costs of making the commercial were, as far as possible, channelled back to further assist the heroes we featured. Instead of incurring substantial location and set costs, we filmed the commercial where our heroes live and work every day."
"Nivea also commissioned Duduza Serenades, a 35-strong children’s choir of mainly orphans, from Ekhuruleni, to provide the background melody. The script was written by a Nivea employee, Nomfundo Mpati, and the assistant director and on-set PA were up-and-coming young professionals given an opportunity to get real experience on set," says Bird.
"With this approach, it was very important to show ‘care’, true ‘care’, and genuinely honour people who don’t have a lot to give but who give of themselves on a daily basis," said Stobbs.
"We identified three such people – and, boy, was selecting just three an incredibly difficult task given the generosity with which many South Africans approach their lives – and NIVEA agreed to help them with items they sorely needed."
"So, Nivea completely made over both Boitumelo’s and Hazel’s homes; painted them, provided new beds, new curtains, new appliances and the like. For Michael, they bought school uniforms and toys, provided a storage room for the toys, fixed the jungle gym, delivered new sand for the sandbox and so on. It’s ubuntu in action," concludes Stobbs.
Featuring music from Tiger Fight Records and shot in Alexander in Soweto and Windsor East over three days by Egg Films, the TVC went into post-production at Orchestra Blue.