New TV commercial is no monkey business

In a case of primates for prime TV, Savanna has gone to Hollywood for creative inspiration.

The brand's newest commercial stars a pair of international celebrities, two Capuchin monkeys famed for their appearances on Friends, Ace Ventura and Outbreak. They were flown to Johannesburg from Hollywood and enjoyed a weeklong stay in the city before heading back to Beverley Hills.

The commercial features Barry Hilton and the patron in their favourite bar but this time the monkeys steal the show. According to the crew, the two monkeys responded extremely well to the script and the creative direction, resulting in a unique and very entertaining ad with the brand's trademark quirky humour as strong as ever.

Chris Edge, global marketing manager for the brand, says, "The brand's television commercials have always been about fun, puns and wit, enhanced by striking visuals to create a spark of entertainment for viewers. The humour is always clever and those who don't immediately get the message always try to find out what everyone is talking about.

"Using the monkeys was a brilliant directional move for the brand and we will follow through from the commercial with an online and viral campaign."