The campaign's objective is two-fold: it portrays the new-look inspectors as friendly and approachable in their efforts to assist both households and businesses to comply with the law while clearly emphasising the fact that it is a legal obligation of everyone who owns or uses a television set to be in possession of a valid TV licence.
Says Mike Rubenstein, marketing manager of SABC Audience Services Division: “With this campaign, we have taken a new approach to the preconceived notion of the role of a TV licence inspector. Together with our advertising agency, Y&R, we undertook research among our target audiences and considered their perceptions and views of TV licence inspectors, in developing this new creative campaign.
“This campaign also introduces the new pay-off line ‘Pay yours. Make a difference', which focuses on how all South Africans can make a difference to the lives of millions of their fellow citizens – simply by paying their TV licence. Making a real difference to the lives of all South Africans is what the SABC is committed to deliver through its public service mandate,” comments Rubenstein.
“Funding this obligation is our challenge. Aside from income raised through advertising and sponsorship revenues, the public broadcaster relies heavily on monies from the collection of TV licence fees to provide this essential service to the millions of radio listeners and television viewers who tune in daily across South Africa.”
Commenting on the creative approach, Melusi Tshabalala, Y&R's Creative Group Head, says it was important for the campaign to have a wide appeal across the many target audiences who listen to radio or view television on a daily basis. “The television ad, which launche[d] nationally across all SABC television platforms on 3 July, has both emotive and humorous elements, and we hope all South African citizens will relate to ‘the sweet granny' in the commercial and follow her actions!”
