Nando's controversial ad to appear on Top TV

In a counterturn to the mainstream media, Top TV has announced that it will screen the Nando's 'Diversity' ad, from today, 21 June 2012. The decision was taken following an approach from Nando's media agency, The MediaShop, to provide a broadcast platform for the advert. (video)

"We are a young, yet highly competitive player in the pay-tv space in South Africa. As such, we are prepared to 'push the envelope' and use our platform to promote freedom of expression and to encourage debate and conversation among our diverse subscriber base," says Jean Meyer, vice president: airtime sales of TopTV.

"Broadcasting the topical and satirical first series of ZA News on Top One last year is testimony to this standpoint and we applaud Nando's for tackling often thorny, South African issues by giving them a satirical twist. The positive message contained in the advert, with the line, '... real South Africans love diversity...' is a sentiment that all South Africans should embrace."

The advert will play out across nine commercial channels on the bouquet, Top One, Top Movies, Top Movies +2, Top Movies +24, Top History, Top Explore, Top Crime, Top Gospel and ASTV. The advert will be tagged with a promotional SMS element that offers subscribers the opportunity to win a R1000 Nando's voucher per week for a period of four weeks.