New commercial promotes Eastern Cape

21 Apr 2009

The production of a new TV commercial to promote the Eastern Cape as a prime tourism and investment destination has been completed by 2.0 Media's CEO, Peter Gird, and creative director, Jason Xenopoulos. The commercial was filmed for the Eastern Cape Development Corporation.

Shot in remote locations during the first four months of 2009, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation commercial represents the collaboration between 2.0 and East London-based ad agency, SMG Africa. The aim was to create the concept and produce a commercial that not only had to incorporate the beauty of the province, but also showcase the development projects and achievements that have taken place there.

The commercial portrays the tourism and business potential of the Eastern Cape through the eyes of a young child, daydreaming about a magnificent place his father has told him about, a beautiful place where the people work hard to build a beautiful land.

Says Gird, "This was an important project for us, not only in terms of our working with SMG Africa, but in respect of creating a commercial that maintained the correct balance between tourism and investment. While the 'Make it Yours' payoff line reinforces both elements, the strength of the advert is captured by the breathtaking scenery caught up in the commercial's cinematography."

Months to shoot

“The commercial took months to shoot due to the region's remote locations and erratic weather conditions. The initial idea was to shoot it as a road trip, but we had to rely on helicopters to get to some of the less accessible locations. What started out being a simple six-week project ended up being a great deal longer and more physically taxing," comments Xenopoulos.

Award-winning filmmaker and director Xenopoulos launched 2.0 Media with veteran producer Gird in October last year. The team is focused on playing an active role in working with ad agencies by producing innovative TV ads.

"The 2.0 strategy is taking shape… bridging the gap between traditional media and the rapidly evolving new media marketplace, offering a fresh approach to traditional advertising where branded entertainment, viral and social marketing are proving to be impactful," says Xenopoulos.

Gird predicts that advertising will become far more collaborative in the future, bringing together talented professionals from different disciplines.