In two witty and appealing MTV programmes, viewers are taken on authentic journeys through the Republic of Extra Cold, the land of the free and refreshed, thanks to a special themed episode of MTV’s hit show #YouGotGot, and a one-off TV special, Citizens of Cool.

An alliance of this nature sets the standard for a unique platform of communication by showcasing an event far beyond standard and traditional forms of media and content. The narrative in these two programmes successfully targets and captivates a social-savvy generation that seeks authenticity in the information they consume. The idea is for Castle Lite to become advocates of innovative content. They are taking narrative and conversation to original heights, pushing the envelope when it comes to strategic content marketing.

Over the past four years, Castle Lite, one of South Africa’s leading digital and social brands, has set the bar for content innovation. Content and storytelling has been part of its DNA and this project is just an extension of that strategy.

“Understanding the shift from traditional marketing to content marketing is pivotal when communicating with audiences today. We want to create content that people actually want to watch. It is important for marketers to weave the brand’s message into content and platforms that deliver authentic experiences,” says Castle Lite’s marketing manager, Vaughan Croeser.

In #YouGotGot @ The Republic of Extra Cold, MTV’s hilarious prank show sees host Toll A$$ Mo and his band of Outlawz take to the Republic to perform various stunts on citizens and celebrities alike. No citizen is safe as the team of pranksters set off on a mission to dupe unsuspecting bystanders with fake MTV auditions, while the fashion police are on patrol. DJ Warras is also enlisted to ask citizens which slang makes the ‘lit’ list and which doesn’t. The best prank, however, has to be “Celeb Gotte”, which sees reigning Republic of Extra Cold President, Pearl Thusi, pose for a fake photo shoot with apparent YouTube sensation ‘Bean’.

One-off lifestyle special Citizens of Cool follows three trendsetters as they explore the Republic of Extra Cold from three distinctly different perspectives. Travel, food and lifestyle blogger Anna-Belle Mulder of She Said takes the audience on a quest to discover what the Republic has to offer in terms of adventure, cuisine and fashion. Young fashion trendsetter Maitele Wawe of Fashion Rebels finds the perfect spot on the island to set up his mobile ‘fashionista’ wardrobe and help citizens get dressed in the most stylish beach attire. Extreme Instagrammer, “Uncle Scrooch”, is on his own mission to find the perfect shot, not forgetting the many selfies with citizens along the way.

This collaboration is a great example of how a brand is leveraging its event properties to create relevant digital content.

“As media consumption increases to be fragmented by new channels, brands must find ways to tell their stories in veritable and entertaining ways through unique partnerships,” concludes Croeser.

Dillon Khan, Channel Head, MTV, said; “As the official state broadcaster of the Republic of Extra Cold, we were keen to partner with Castle Lite and find new ways of using our content and youth expertise to entertain the ‘citizens’. We pride ourselves in engaging with brands and consumers in new and innovative ways and by partnering with Castle Lite, that mission was accomplished. Long live the Republic.”

#YouGotGot @ The Republic of Extra Cold aired on MTV Base, channel 322 on DStv on Thursday, 4 February with Citizens of Cool airing the same day. Both shows will repeat on MTV, channel 130 on DStv on Monday, 8 February at 20:05 and 20:30 as well as on MTV Base, channel 322 on Monday, 8 February at 19:00 and 19:30.