Inspired By My Constitution by agency The Odd Number for Brand South Africa took top honours in the 2017 countdown. The ad is a mini-documentary featuring a young man from the Cape Flats.

The ad uses quick-cut montages and narration to suggest that the lead character of the ad is going to buy a gun. The viewer then sees that the lead character is not buying a gun – his ‘shooting’ is with a cine camera as he documents life in the ‘hood’. The lead character, Imraan Christian, has spearheaded several initiatives to assist children in school, aiming to end gang violence.

"Brand SA took a huge risk by telling stories set in some of the ‘darker’ aspects of South African culture," says MarkLives.com advertising columnist, Oresti Patricios. "But, ultimately, it all paid off, with powerful ads that speak of optimism and human rights – thanks to our progressive constitution."

The story of Rodwell Tshabalala has landed Chicken Licken and its agency, Joe Public, the second spot. In third place is 2-Minute Showers. The ad, sponsored by Sanlam in partnership with the City of Cape Town and Cape Town Tourism, got South African musicians to produce two-minute versions of their songs for people to sing along to in the shower. The aim is to encourage shorter showers, thus potentially saving water in the drought-struck region.

The MarkLives top 10 ads for 2017 are:

  • Inspired By My Constitution by The Odd Number for Brand South Africa;
  • Afronaut by Joe Public for Chicken Licken;
  • 2-Minute Shower Songs by King James Group for Sanlam;
  • #untaggable by Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town for Audi Q2;
  • Bite-Size Ballet by TBWA\Hunt Lascaris for Joburg Ballet (joint);
  • Don’t be a #TravelHater by McCann Johannesburg for kulula.com (joint);
  • Suppertime Stories by Ogilvy Joburg for KFC;
  • Absa Premiership by FCB Joburg for Absa;
  • Uk’shona Kwelanga by King James Group (Cape Town) for Sanlam; and
  • Meet South Africa, Meet Bheki the Mbhaco Maker by FCB Johannesburg for South Africa Tourism.

Part one and part two of the top 10 ads may be viewed at the MarkLives.com website.

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