Praat met... The Odd Number
The Pendoring Awards not only reward marketing communication in all of SA's indigenous languages apart from English, they've also created their own ranking. Here, top-ranked The Odd Number shares why it's important for creatives and brands alike to talk to their target audience in a language they understand and feel.
24 Nov 2017
Justin van Alphen, portfolio manager NBD at Ads24; with Siphokazi Mestile, account manager; and Ntando Msibi, copywriter on all three Pendoring-winning spots.
It’s been an excellent year for The Odd Number. They were announced as Small Advertising Agency of the Year at this week’s 2017 Financial Mail AdFocus Awards, ranked 12th overall SA agency as per the 2017 Loeries Rankings and scooped up radio station commercials gold and campaign silver at this year’s Loeries.
From a shortlist of eight they brought home two ‘vernuf’ or acumen craft certificates in ‘radio communication crafts – writing’, two gold crafts for ‘radio communication crafts – performance’, and another two golds for radio station commercials, all for two radio spots in Zulu – Brand SA’s After Tears and BBC Lifestyle’s Hell’s Kitchen campaign, Ou Lady and Mfundisi, the latter of which took home the Umpetha Award for proving cooking shows aren’t just for the elite, they’re for everyone:
Here, Ntando Msibi senior copywriter at The Odd Number, lets us in on why it’s not just important but absolutely essential to celebrate advertising in the vernacular, especially when the majority of the people brands try to sell stuff to are black…
Congrats again! Explain your agency’s work that won at the Pendorings.
We won gold for a campaign we did for BBC SA, for the Hell's Kitchen show. The idea was pretty simple: We wanted to lure new viewers in a funny and quirky way, and also let them know that once they've spent time watching Gordon Ramsay, they'll never be the same!
We also won gold for a ‘don't drink and drive’ radio ad we did for Brand South Africa. The idea here was to remind South Africans that drinking at an After Tears (a party that happens after the burial of a loved one or friend to celebrate their life) causes more tears, and you'll find yourself joining the very same person you were burying.
There are so many industry awards, local and global, what makes the Pendorings stand out for you?
What makes these awards stand out for me is that they celebrate who we are. They allow creatives or agencies or even brands to talk to their target audience in a language they understand and feel.
Why is it important to celebrate advertising in the vernacular?
Truth is, the majority of the people brands try sell stuff to are black, and it is very important to talk to them in a language that makes them feel something and subsequently propels them to take action. Also, it shows that brands care about the people they're trying to sell to.
Who do you admire most in the industry in this regard and why?
There's a few. As the saying goes, charity begins at home. So I'll precisely do that. S'bu Sitole, simply because of how he allows his creatives to tell their stories and also how he pushes them to go crazy. Not every ECD does that. And also, I like how he says 'Ayihlanye' in our creative reviews, which means ‘make it crazy’.
I also admire Grant Sithole, Neo Mashigo, Ahmed Tilly and Rui Alves.
Elaborate on the importance of celebrating creativity across all our local languages.
South Africa is a diverse country with 11 official languages and we can't allow one language to dictate things. It's so important for every ethnic group to be represented in the commercials we see on TV and hear on the radio.
What are you most excited about workwise as we head towards 2018?
There's a campaign we did for Brand South Africa that we believe is going to do well. We’re also looking forward to campaigns we're still conjuring up for both BBC and Miller. It's gonna be naaaaice!
Sounds like an exciting starting point, sure to get tongues wagging in all local languages. Click through to the Pendoring press office or our Pendoring special section for more, and be sure to follow The Odd Number on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for their latest updates.
About Leigh Andrews
Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of inclusion, belonging, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! Now follow her travel adventures on YouTube @MidlifeMeander.
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