The TVC was directed by Justice Mukheli from Ola! Films with post-production by Orchestra Blue Post Production and sound direction by Aquanote Productions. There is also a 30-second version, which is being flighted with a retail message to drive traffic to special offers and promotions.

"The overriding consumer insight guiding our work for South African Tourism is that the majority of South Africans, mostly black South Africans, believe that they are excluded from travel and tourism experiences in their own country," says FCB Joburg’s executive creative director Neo Segola.

"They perceive travel as unaffordable – seeing only the cost of airfares from Johannesburg to Cape Town and not the many destinations within a few hours of their homes by car or bus," Segola adds.

Segola says, "They believe they will not be welcomed in many establishments – remembering the days of enforced segregation and reading the (sometimes) isolated incidents of exclusion on social media."


"They do not see themselves represented in travel imagery – scenes of safaris and sundowners are notoriously populated by white South Africans or foreigners," Segola adds.

"The task facing South African Tourism and FCB Joburg is to convince them otherwise – to create a travel culture so that it is viewed as more than the annual journey between your job in the city and your ancestral or rural home to pay your respects to your family," Segola says.

"The It’s your country, enjoy it campaign not only challenges the misconceptions South Africans have about travel, it showcases the country in a way that fills their hearts with pride," Segola adds.

Segola concludes, "It inspires and uplifts the spirit; it demonstrates that travel is not about getting from A to B, but sharing experiences, exploring out-of-the-way places and discovering who you are as much as discovering a secret hideaway." 

For more information, visit www.fcb.co.za. You can also follow FCB Joburg on Facebook or on Twitter.