#Respek Nation was awarded with a Gold in the category, Best Launch of a New Product, Service or Category. The campaign also scooped a Silver in the coveted South African Campaign of the Year category, having faced stiff competition from over 19 entrants. 

This milestone is especially significant as Steers is a brand that previously didn't prioritise PR in its communications strategies. The campaign broke all boundaries, becoming the most successful PR-led campaign that the brand has ever seen.

“To support the launch of its all-new Rib King Burger promotion, we realised that the brand had a distinct problem of resonating with its predominantly black male millennial consumers," says Monare Matema, associate brand architect at DNA Brand Architects.

"It was clear that for us to be relevant to millennials we had to engage them on their terms and not ours. So we plugged into urban culture through strategic partnerships with leading influencers and platforms and sparked a movement paying the ultimate #Respek to the culture.” 

The campaign was led by a vibrant and dynamic team at DNA Brand Architects that included business director Kutlaono Dingaan and brand assistant Samantha Mabaso. 

“Collaboration proved critical to the success of the campaign. This included partnerships with leading urban culture publication The Plug Magazine, which curated a four-part series that was shot by acclaimed photographer Anthony Bila," continues Matema.

"The #Respek Nation payed respect to leader of the new school, Shane Eagle, the Internet boy, J Molley, and emerging petori rap sensation, TTGO.”  

Adolf Fourie, Steers marketing executive, says, “The #Respek Nation was groundbreaking on so many levels and we are incredibly proud of this achievement. The campaign increased brand awareness and gave us the social currency to engage with consumers in conversations that are relevant to them."

"It has also allowed us to drive uptake of the Rib King Burger, which had a positive contribution to our business objectives.”

For more information, visit dnabrand.co.za. You can also follow DNA Brand Architects on Twitter or on Instagram.