The advertising campaign for the 2013 Pendoring Awards is embodied in the world “respect’ – what it takes to get it, show it and keep it.
Originally created 19 years ago to celebrate Afrikaans-language advertising, Pendoring has evolved into a comprehensive campaign aimed at creating greater awareness of the power of communicating in the home language of the target market, be it Afrikaans, Zulu, isiXhosa, and so on.
Says Pendoring general manager Franette Klerck: “Pendoring also serves as an ideal vehicle to promote creativity and a renewed interest in indigenous languages. Our challenge is to grow Afrikaans and other indigenous languages to take their rightful place in the advertising environment. The style, wit and impact of a commercial message become far more powerful when delivered in the home language of the target market.
“By creating and advertising in the target audience’s mother tongue, the continued existence, as well as the development, of innovative and creative advertising that truly resonates with the target market, is secured. Pendoring invests in the future of Afrikaans as well as “Truly South African’ advertising.’
The only criteria for the Truly South African Category are that ads must reflect South Africa’s uniqueness; concepts must only work in South Africa.
Klerck notes that the popularity of this category has increased in leaps and bounds over the years.
She continues: “Over the past four years we’ve expanded this category to make provision for several sub-categories namely television, radio, general and campaign. The quality of work in this category is of an exceptionally high standard.’
Pendoring has now registered the brand name Truly South African and last year, for the first time, the overall winner in this category walked away with the new Umpetha Award (R20 000).
This year Pendoring will take place in Cape Town as part of Creative Week, alongside brand communication awards, the Loeries. “When we considered the move to Creative Week Cape Town it was important for us to keep Pendoring’s unique and distinct South African flavour and tone. It appears that Pendoring is perceived by the industry in a much more serious light, enjoying the recognition it deserves from people of all cultures and creeds in the advertising industry. It is also no longer perceived in the industry as a “white’ Afrikaans awards show.
“Attendance of the 2012 gala event, the award winners, comments on Twitter and Facebook, as well as the general feedback from the industry, clearly reflect South Africa’s multi-cultural demographic, confirming wide acceptance across language and cultural divides. Personally, this is the biggest and most significant change that I have witnessed over the past two years and is by far Pendoring’s proudest achievement.’
Klerck maintains that South Africa boasts some of the sharpest creative minds in the global industry, many of them Afrikaans speaking.
“The challenge for Pendoring is to keep these minds in our country by creating a renewed interest in Afrikaans and preventing them from seeking opportunities abroad. The reality is you don’t have to live in London or New York to do great work. You can do it here.’
Entries for the 2013 Pendoring Awards are open until July 13, with the gala event to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 20 September. To enter go to www.pendoring.co.za.
screen africa magazine – june 2013
