British Petroleum (BP)'s 'celebratory' ads scooped seven accolades at the 2010 Khuza Awards held yesterday Wednesday, 28 July 2010, in the TV and radio categories - a rare silver lining for the embattled brand whose US oil spill has terribly messed up the environment and ruined livelihoods. The event took place at the University of Johannesburg. [video]
DStv's Monkey Business ad also won three awards (two Gold and one Bronze), and was stylishly chosen by kids, teens and young adults in the outdoor category, where the BMW Z4 Roaster ad twice won Silver and Mercedes Benz E-Class (E-motion) also took home one Gold and one Bronze.
But, given the extensive environmental damage the London-based oil company has done to the Gulf of Mexico, the BP ads' landslide victory became the talk of the town yesterday, with some moaning on the sidelines and jokingly cursing young minds who overwhelmingly voted for the brand.
However, the close-ended list of ads produced from the study, conducted by HDI Youth Marketeers in collaboration with Dr Arien Strasheim of the University of Pretoria's department of marketing and communication management and Ornico Media, was only sent into the field from early February to end April.
And BP's oil gushing only started in March. Nevertheless, BP ads were the best as they provided entertainment and fun, according to some 2665 voters (aged 8-22) from primary school, high school and tertiary institutions.
Rocked the awards
The BP ads that rocked the 2010 Khuza Awards were none other than Mamas vs Cafe Owners and Divas vs Taxi Drivers (three each for TV), and one BP Express Bread and Milk for Radio.
"Six years into Khuza, it's great to see so many winning ads that are celebratory, upbeat and distinctly South African. As with every year there are surprises, but this year's are a real delight," Jason Levin, HDI Youth Marketeers MD, said.
The 2010 Khuza Awards were held in collaboration with Marketing Mix. Below is the complete list of the 2010 accolades:
Issa Sikiti da Silva is a winner of the 2010 SADC Media Awards (print category). He freelances for various media outlets, local and foreign, and has travelled extensively across Africa. His work has been published both in French and English. He used to contribute to Bizcommunity.com as a senior news writer.