The 90-second production was conceived for the 14-year-old brand by executive creative director Stuart Stobbs, creative directors Toni Hughes and Warwich Rautenbach, art directors Mark Livini and Leon Curling Hope and copywriter Mbeu Kambuwa; all from 1886, one of the partners in the FCB South Africa network.
It was brought to life by Darling Films’ Jono Hall during a five-day shoot in and around Cape Town, including a chilling day-long stint in a large, ice-cold water tank in Simonstown for the underwater scenes.
‘Holiday Season’ in South Africa means so much more than in northern hemisphere countries. In both hemispheres, many brands and retailers develop campaigns to capitalise on the fact that shoppers loosen their purse-strings and spend more freely during the annual festivities.
But, south of the equator, in addition to being the season for giving (and receiving), ‘holidays’ mean balmy weather, annual leave and bonuses, or more opportunity to buy ... and sell.
According to Stobbs, Cell C briefed 1886 to develop an integrated campaign that could stretch across multiple channels to enhance the brand’s appeal and boost shopper awareness during the summer. In addition – and very importantly – it wanted to communicate the brand’s ‘believe’ proposition in a fresh way, and show how a cellphone and being connected to the right network can make anything possible.
“Cell C’s target market stretches across many income groups,” says Stobbs “but Cell C doesn’t discriminate, it believes that regardless of who you are and your current station in life, you have the right to – and ability to – make a better life for yourself. Cell C is the People’s Champion, the brand that trusts that, when people believe in themselves, fight for opportunities, take risks and never take no for an answer, amazing things happen – because the power is in their hands.”
“Above all else, our summer campaign had to communicate this sense of belief and change. That, we believed, would ensure shoppers empathised with the brand,” Stobbs says.
The agency’s response was a through-the-line campaign embracing TV, cinema, radio, press, point-of-sale, outdoor, activations, ambient media, digital and social media.
Simply, the storyline features an ordinary South African guy moving from one adventure to the next – because he has the courage and curiosity to make things happen. But, of course, there’s much, much, much more layered into the TVC.
“What I really like about this ad is that Cell C employees auditioned as extras and we were stoked to have 16 of them join us on set rubbing shoulders and getting down with SA royalty – proving that this summer, Anything Can Happen,” says Stobbs.