TBWA, Malo 8 collaborate on Albany tale

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The new ad, which launches on select television channels at the end of March, is so rich in detail that viewers will be convinced it's an epic tale of a life well-lived, instead of a 30-second visit into a woman's home.

“The concept developed by the agency was clever but relatively elaborate and challenging because it had to achieve a great deal,” said Frieze Films director, Malo 8.

“We needed to show friends interacting in today's world; include flashbacks to reinforce the stories these ladies were telling about their hostess and friend; allow her character to develop so that it could bear testimony to the Albany brand; and demonstrate the product impacting on her life.

The commercial takes place at a tea party. Two of the guests are telling the third, a newcomer to the group, about their hostess' grand and glorious life as a beauty queen, an actress and a diplomat. The hostess overhears their conversation and experiences ‘flashbacks' in which we see her in these situations. She comes into the lounge to serve her sandwiches. The new friend can't believe the stories are true but she says yes, as true as the fact that Albany 100% Smooth Wholegrain has helped her keep healthy and trim over the years. “Stru!”

Malo 8 said he relished the opportunity to work with TBWA's experienced team of creative director Amanda Howitz, copywriter Kamogelo Sesing and art director Wihan Meerholz whose professionalism made the space available for creative expression.

The team, too, enjoyed its first shoot with this award-winning documentary film maker-cum-commercials director.

Said Howitz: “The Albany brand was created when the Tiger Oats & National Milling Co took over a number of independent bakeries and merged them to form Albany Bakeries. By 1983, the resultant bakery was the largest in country producing 20% of South Africa's baked goods.

“Our brief was to launch its newest bread, Albany 100% Smooth Wholegrain, to shoppers in the LSM 4-7 markets and educate them about the benefits of wholegrain in a way that didn't bore them.

“From the outset, it was clear that Malo 8 both understood and empathised with our target market; he sold his creative treatment of our concept and explained why he would approach the shoot in the way he did very well. Furthermore, his humility and obvious passion for working in commercials endeared him to cast and crew alike; he easily brought out the best in all the actresses.

“Finally, he was controlled and professional, but also flexible and open to new ideas, provided they remained true to the concept and would resonate with the target audience. For example, the ‘aha moment' was a snap decision to incorporate the unscripted word ‘Borotho' - ‘bread' but said here in a manner that becomes an exclamation of disbelief. Malo handled the change and executed our wishes brilliantly,” she said.