According to McCann 1886, its creative directors, Theo Egbers and John Withers, were inspired by the idea of bringing ‘the stride’ — taken from Johnnie Walker in The Striding Man logo — to life.
The concept involves showcasing South Africans who embody the Johnnie Walker stride to inspire others.
According to Egg Films, the cast list for the new ad reads like a 'who’s who' of South African achievers. They are:
- Refilwe Ledwaba — South Africa's first black female helicopter pilot
- Enhle Mbali — actress and businessperson
- Chad le Clos — Olympic swimmer
- Thebe Magugu — a fashion designer who was recently featured in Elle
- Nelson Makamo — an artist, whose work was on the cover of the February edition of Time
- Ze Nxumalo — businessperson
- Siya Makuzeni — leading female trombone player
- Motheo Moeng — cinematographer
- Trevor Noah — Comedian, political commentator and television host
"It was the simplicity of the idea that first engaged the production team," says Hynes. "For me, personally, ‘Keep Walking’ eloquently captures the brand essence and always has — but to allow the striders to mimic the logo and become part of all it represents was so captivating, that we fell in love instantly," Hynes adds.
"It was a challenge to make each step feel like it contributed to a single walk, but thanks to a very clever team of post people, amazing clients, great agency support and our dedicated crew, the visual technique works in delivering a powerful message," Hynes says.
"I was delighted to work alongside incredible South Africans who have excelled in their fields, locally and internationally. It is very clear that, even though we walk our paths alone, our consistent, individual steps toward greatness propel us all forward. In hearing each person’s story, it soon became evident that positivity and perseverance are the special characteristics that set the ‘greats’ apart," she concludes.
For more information, visit
www.eggfilms.tv. You can also follow Egg Films on
Facebook,
Twitter or on
Instagram.