“The Elegant Group is 100 percent invested in this land,” says Ryno Strydom, Elegant Group director. “We want our message to not only be about investment, though. We want to show our profoundly deep attachment to South Africa. It’s this that drives us to contribute to a future the people of South Africa deserve.”
Planning commenced in November last year, and shooting began in early February at one of Elegant’s flagship branches in Musina, Limpopo province. Over the course of two weeks, the crew did more than 9,000km and took in Nieuwoudtville (via Vanrhyns Pass from Cape Town); the Garden Route; Gordon’s Bay; the Blyde River Canyon; the Bloukrans Bridge; and the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg.
The commercial features Frank Opperman (well-known South African actor who starred in Elegant’s first TVC) in a cameo appearance. It stars Timothy Banda, a fuel tanker driver with 20 years’ experience who took to acting, says Strydom, like a seasoned pro.
Finding the perfect soundtrack was an epic undertaking, says Strydom: “Eventually, we chose a well-known 1950s recording from African jazz legend Dorothy Masuka, Hamba Nontsokolo. It’s catchy, upbeat, celebratory and instantly recognisable as South African. It’s perfect.
“The Elegant Group is as much about people – friendly, efficient, professional, client-centred service – as it is about taking care of the energy needs of communities and businesses across the land.” He continues “This is a commercial that celebrates the human side of our business: the personal connections that we make every single day as we deliver wholesale fuel on time – anywhere and everywhere.”
The Elegant Group’s new TVC premieres on M-Net’s Carte Blanche this Sunday and will run during M-Net prime time for the rest of the year.
