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FCB Cape Town wins Bronze Apex for Savanna 'New/Different' campaign

FCB Cape Town has won a Bronze Apex for the 'New on the outside. Still different on the inside' campaign it developed for Savanna to launch the Distell cider brand's new packaging and revitalise its communication with consumers.
David Smythe, FCB Cape Town Strategic Planning Director, with the Apex award.
David Smythe, FCB Cape Town Strategic Planning Director, with the Apex award.

Judges at the notoriously stringent competition, co-ordinated by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) to reward advertising effectiveness, were particularly tough this year awarding no Grand Prix and no Gold Apexes. Instead, they handed out only four Silvers and three Bronzes.

“If you’re an agency serious about advertising effectiveness and contributing to your clients’ marketing and business objectives, Apex is widely regarded as the awards competition at which to shine,” said FCB Cape Town’s Strategic Director, David Smythe.

“To be called to the podium therefore is an achievement of which all of us at FCB Cape Town are incredibly proud. The fact that this year’s judges didn’t award a Grand Prix or any Golds makes our win all the more sweet. And it’s a challenge for us to up our game next year. Bring it on!”

The ‘New on the outside. Still different on the inside’ campaign was devised by FCB Cape Town for Savanna to tackle two major challenges put to it by the brand’s marketing team. The first, according to Smythe, to restore Savanna’s status as a category challenger and the second to revitalise its communication formula, which had become a tad jaded.

“Launched in 1996, Savanna set out to be the category maverick. Everything about the brand was highly unusual. Its highly differentiated packaging and communication at the time propelled the brand to success,” he said.

“But after many years of serving up memorable one-liners, Savanna’s communication was becoming a little predictable. Its packaging too was in need of a bit of a make-over. It was time to mix things up. And so Savanna, together with FCB Africa, embarked on an ambitious project to make Savanna the apple of everyone’s eye again.

FCB Cape Town wins Bronze Apex for Savanna 'New/Different' campaign
FCB Cape Town wins Bronze Apex for Savanna 'New/Different' campaign

“Savanna decided that the launch of its new packaging was the perfect opportunity to regain cider superstardom by once again standing apart as the brand that redefines normal. This culminated in an un-normal campaign to launch its bold, new bottle. One that was new on the outside, but still just as dry on the inside.

“The strategic thought that brought this positioning to life was to abandon all the conventions applied to pack redesigns within the category. Savanna’s audience has a progressive mindset and a glass-half-full view of the world.

“They embrace change but because life is for living and not to be taken too seriously, change should be fun. This gave the brand the opportunity to be a little irreverent about its pack redesign. By recognising that Savanna’s audience can see through the obvious advertising of its competitors, the brand was able to introduce a campaign that began to restore Savanna as the unconventional, non-conformist brand within the ready-to-drink category.”

In line with Savanna’s big-brand status and the need to ensure reach to create significant upfront awareness for the new brand big idea, the launch campaign was executed across the following media channels: digital, in-store, TV, radio, print and outdoor.

Its implementation resulted in Savanna boosting year-on-year sales and increasing total brand equity.

“The story of one of the world’s largest and most iconic cider brands is a long and colourful one; this, however, is a rather simple case – a strong concept delivered in an optimal manner that made a difference for the brand,” said Smythe.

“The Savanna pack redesign campaign, underpinned by the brand’s primary creative expression of ‘Redefining Normal’ placed the brand on a path towards growth. By being brave, bold and confident, Savanna broke from category convention to deliver a campaign that cut through the ‘sameness’ of competitor advertising.”

13 Jul 2016 11:13

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