In May this year Kagiso TV & Communications made history with the flighting of its first above-the-line TV commercials, which showcase the wide range of things to do in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.
Shot in high definition in 10 days, in 25 different locations spread throughout the World Heritage Site, which covers an area of 47 000 hectares, director Eddie Edwards managed to choreograph 34 extras through a series of activities which included river rafting, game drives, hot air ballooning, quad biking as well as the more luxurious shoots in 4 Star hotels and spas.
The Kagiso TV team was briefed by the Cradle of Humankind Management Authority to produce a video that spoke to the core target markets which range from well-off homely couples, young up and coming to the golden active market. It was decided that one short, slick TV commercial for each target market was the best way to go to showcase the beautiful landscapes and variety of activities on offer.
Megan Devine, Cradle of Humankind Project Manager, says: “The challenge with this project was producing commercials that spoke to a diverse range of target markets with very distinct needs and interests. Our creative team came up with six commercials that are evocative and inspiring and speak directly to each target market.’
Strategic media buying ensured that each commercial is pitched to the right audience on an appropriate channel which helped to maximise the return on investment.
This project really challenged the Kagiso team and was a major logistical achievement which required extensive planning and coordination.
Gillian Brollo, Head of TV at Kagiso, says: “A big challenge was designing each commercial to capture the feeling of each precise moment of the various activities. A big coup was having Jon Savage (lead singer of South African band Cassette) compose a beautiful piece of music which really evokes the feeling of space, beauty and pleasure that the African bushveld can offer any visitor.’
Devine says: “Our client was really thrilled with the result and we hope to see an increase in visitors to the area following the campaign.’
The commercials are currently on air across 13 channels on DSTV or can be viewed on the Cradle of Humankind Facebook page www.facebook.com/cradleofhumankind.
