According to Teljoy, one element of life that has become normal among South Africans is living off credit. For the majority of people, it's quite normal to buy items using credit facilities such as credit cards, personal loans and store credit.

"But, we know that living with large sums of debt is not good or 'normal'," says the team at Teljoy. "In fact, it's something that South Africans would do well to change to ensure long-term financial security and independence." 

Teljoy says that the key message of the new campaign is about normalising:
  • rent to own
  • no debt, and
  • no credit and rather opting for the rent-to-own option, which helps consumers avoid using credit and is far more flexible in terms of both payment and ownership options.
This is done through a variety of stories that speak to the wider trend of things that are, and that should be, normal in 2020 as the world grapples with enormous change, says the team. 

The brand says that change is scary; it has, therefore, aimed to lighten the mood and bring a humorous element to the campaign. Teljoy teamed with comedy production company Panther Punch to create a series of short videos that make a case for renting.

Featuring actors Oliver Booth, Glen Biderman-Pam and Lazola Gola, the 'slice-of-life' scenarios highlight typical instances in which rent-to-own is the ideal solution to a very real and relatable problem.

"Rent-to-own offers the consumer so much variety and flexibility, with little to no financial risk. It's a model that's already well established in wealthier markets like the United States and the United Kingdom, and we believe it has enormous potential in South Africa, which is why we want to 'normalise' it in the eyes of the consumer," says Aimee Miller, marketing and sales manager at Teljoy.

"The videos, created by Panther Punch, are so engaging because they speak to a situation that we've all found ourselves in at some point, while also highlighting to consumers that renting is in fact already a part of their lives through some of the things we pay monthly fees for, such as cellphone contracts," adds Miller.

Teljoy says that its '#Normalise' campaign comes at a time when South African consumers are burdened with debt, thanks to the unforeseen impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy. By normalising renting, Teljoy has indicated that it wants to offer consumers an alternative that doesn't add more to a growing pile of debt.

"It's important to us to help alleviate the debt burden and by normalising renting and helping people understand why it's a safer and more flexible solution, we can do this," Miller concludes.

For more information, visit www.teljoy.co.za. You can also follow Teljoy on Facebook or on Twitter.