Since Guinness’ iconic “Made of Black” campaign in 2014, brands in South Africa have been borrowing Afro-futurist youth culture to sell things to young black people.

At first it seemed like a celebration of Africa, but by 2018 so many brands had jumped on the trend that it became hard to tell one ad from the next, with everyone from beers, vodkas, cars, shoes, insurance companies, banks and even cheese-flavoured crisps making the same “edgy”, angry, rebellious ads featuring the same moody influencers, dilapidated streets, fetishized Afro-Futurist fashion and coloured smoke bombs.

Research showed that people felt it was opportunistic - like their culture was being copied by corporations to exploit their African pride.

So Nando’s, a brand with a legacy of spicy social commentary, made an ad to remind brands that there’s more to local culture than one shallow representation.

We called out all the familiar tropes, and even had cameos from actors and celebrities who were tired of being cast in “Afro-tising” ads that only represented Africa in one way..

The audience loved the ad and rallied behind it.

It got over 2.03 million organic views on social with an 83% recall rate and a 96% approval rating.

The ad was picked up by newspapers, TV shows, radio shows and magazines all over the country, earning R9 552 599.94 in PR, trending on IOL’s website, and was voted Ad of the Week, Ad of the Month, “Hero of the Week” and “Orchid of the Week” by various local media commentators.

And people’s love for the ad translated into sales.

The meal advertised out-sold sales targets by 253.6% contributing 8% to Nando’s total sales for the year.