Ogilvy on Creating a Camera Made From South Africa

A camera to capture South Africa, made from South Africa. That’s the focal point of South African Tourism’s latest ‘Live South Africa’ campaign, created and executed by long-time collaborator, Ogilvy Amsterdam, to attract tourists from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden.

Taking the idea of a local lens more seriously than anyone has before, the pinhole camera – the South Africam – was handcrafted by South Africans from wood, scrap metal, and leather sourced within their country; and its strikingly colourful exterior was decorated by South African visual artist, Samurai Farai.

South African Tourism placed the South Africam into the hands of three local artists – Andile Phewa, Andile Buka, and Tsele Nthane – tasked with showing foreigners their country through its own eyes. Portraits plus accompanying videos celebrate local people, businesses, lives, and landscapes, including the culinary community of Bo-Kaap, the wilderness of Madikwe, the coastal hiking on the Chokka Trail, the majestic beauty of the Panorama route, and the vibrant culture of Soweto.

To hear more about Ogilvy Amsterdam’s three-year collaboration with the brand, and how it partnered with locals to attract foreign tourists, LBB’s Zara Naseer reached out to the agency’s CCO Tolga Buyukdoganay and creative director Lorene Faivre.

Above (left to right): Ogilvy Amsterdam CCO Tolga Buyukdoganay and creative director Lorene Faivre

LBB> How were the campaign concept and the idea of the South Africam born?

Tolga> The brief for this campaign actually came to us a year ago, so we've been working on it for a while. This allowed us to build this campaign, create the camera and, together with South African Tourism, find the most suitable partners in South Africa. Everyone involved is very proud of this project.  

South African Tourism's recent North European marketing has emphasised responsible tourism, specifically its economic benefits for local communities. This aligns with the sustainability preferences of North European travellers. Therefore, all campaign briefs were designed to resonate with these values. This particular project aimed to showcase South Africa through the eyes of local tourism businesses, letting them tell their own stories. 

The concept emerged around the campaign line, 'Live South Africa.' Together with our creative team Carolina [Raobelinaharizoa] and Arthur [Lacroix], we were brainstorming ways to help people experience the essence of South Africa without actually being there. The question became: is there a way to showcase the vast beauty of South Africa – its landscapes, wildlife, skies, beaches and people – in a way that feels authentic and local, even from a distance?

That’s when the idea struck us: why not create a camera that’s uniquely made in South Africa? Most cameras are typically made in places like Germany, Japan, China, or Korea. We thought, instead of using equipment made elsewhere, what if we could use materials from South Africa itself to build the camera? So, we envisioned making a camera using South African resources – wood from Cape Beech trees for the structure, scrap metal for the lens, and Inyoka cork leather for the strap. This camera would not only capture images but also embody the land.

We decided on a pinhole camera, the 'camera obscura,' a traditional model that’s simple but capable of creating remarkable photography. Our plan was to use this camera to capture portraits of locals, allowing them to tell the story of South Africa through their own eyes.

The name 'South Africam' came naturally as we brainstormed quite spontaneously on WhatsApp. The word 'Africa' itself nearly includes the word 'camera,' so it felt like a perfect fit. When we presented the idea to our client in a meeting at our office, they instantly loved it. It was a 'love at first sight' moment. Together with the client we set to work on bringing this idea to life and we’re very glad that we were allowed the time to do our due diligence for this campaign, capturing people's hearts – between sourcing materials and building the camera, finding the right photographer, and executing everything – with our unique approach. 

LBB> Being based in the Netherlands, how did you ensure you’d be portraying South Africa authentically while tailoring it to the interests of tourists from your own region? 

Tolga> Interestingly, there’s a strong connection between South Africa and the Netherlands. And we are a global agency, meaning that within our agency you’ll find people from multiple nationalities and backgrounds – including quite a few South African colleagues that can help us with cultural insights. Many of our team members have also been to South Africa for shoots or holidays, plus this is actually our third year working with South African Tourism. So, understanding and portraying the authentic spirit of South Africa wasn’t as challenging as it might seem.

We also benefited from valuable insights from our strategy lead, who spent a week at Indaba 2023 (one of Africa’s biggest travel trade shows) to get an in-depth understanding of the South African businesses we portray in our stories. And most importantly, our clients, who are South African themselves, helped in guiding us to decide what the key focus areas should be. Our South African colleagues played a crucial role in shaping and refining this concept, ensuring it truly resonates both with South Africans and with travellers from our region.

LBB> Were you working from any specific data or insights?

Tolga> Absolutely. Previously we launched a campaign called 'Lekker Local Tips,' which is a combination of Afrikaans and Dutch language 'local tips.' 'Lekker' is a popular word for something tasty or great in both Dutch and South African languages. This year, we wanted to build on that success, knowing that South African Tourism had evolved their tagline to 'Live South Africa.' This brought us to our third campaign with them.

South African Tourism invests in extensive consumer research, including annual brand tracking studies, to inform its marketing strategies. This data, shared with agencies, provides insights into consumer barriers, preferences, and key brand pillars. The ‘South Africam’ footage deliberately showcases experiences aligned with these pillars, including scenic beauty, gastronomy, wildlife and safari, adventure, and culture.

We still wanted to showcase these local insights, but in a fresh way. South Africa offers this incredible range of experiences, making it essentially a world within a country. Instead of repeating 'Lekker Local Tips,' we thought of a new approach: capturing these experiences through portraits of locals, using a unique, locally-made camera to bring their stories to life. This shift allowed us to highlight the same richness but in a distinct way for this campaign.

LBB> The press release mentions you’ve collaborated with South African Tourism before – what’s your history with the brand? How does this campaign build upon your previous work and relationship?

Tolga> We have a three-year relationship with South African Tourism, and it's been a fantastic journey. Each year, we’ve developed a unique campaign to boost tourism from Northern Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden) to South Africa. This campaign marks our latest collaboration with them, and we wanted it to be special.

Over the years, insights from both our South African colleagues and previous campaigns has deepened our understanding of the brand and the destination. In fact, one of our creative directors who worked on our previous campaign was from South Africa. Each year, we've created a campaign that builds on our past efforts, and this third campaign feels like the best yet. It features a unique concept with the South Africam, crafted with local materials, capturing the beauty of South Africa through local eyes. We’re excited to see how people respond to it and hope it inspires even more tourism.

LBB> Why was director Kyla Philander the perfect fit for this project?

Lorene> When looking for the director for this campaign, we were not only looking at South African directors and crew, but also someone with experience in more docu-style formats to bring the whole project to life – the portraits of people as well as the story behind the camera. Kyla’s sense, empathy and passion for telling authentic stories instantly felt like the perfect match. Together we worked hand-in-hand, from finding the most diverse stories to narrating them in a visually striking yet beautiful way.

LBB> What were you looking for in potential photographers to partner with? Who are the photographers you chose, and how do they embody that?

Lorene> First of all, we were looking for photographers who know how to use a pinhole camera! And we found out that not everyone could. It requires technical photographic knowledge. And then of course photographers from South Africa, particularly those with a documentary focus who would each bring their unique perspectives to the table. They find beauty in various aspects of life and culture, capturing the diversity of South Africa through their lenses. For this campaign, the South Africam was in the hands of Andile Phewa, Andile Buka and Tsele Nthane. 

Our vision for the future is to continue this photographic journey by involving more local photographers. This way, we can ensure that a multitude of perspectives are represented, further enriching the series.

LBB> How did the collaboration with Samurai Farai come about, and what did he bring to the campaign?

Lorene> Samurai Farai is a renowned South African artist who not only brought his unique style to the camera design, but also the traditional yet modern touch we envisioned. He created a bespoke design that's deeply rooted in the country's culture, and the camera now stands as a testament to the fusion of old and new, embodying our vision for blending tradition with modernity.

LBB> Why have you chosen to host the exhibition at Restaurant Braai in Amsterdam West?

Lorene> Again, we wanted to keep things really local. We recommended a few local authentic South African locations with the client, and together, our clients and South African Tourism’s PR agency, Zapper, picked Restaurant Braai. It's a South African spot right here in Amsterdam.  It's got this chill vibe that's perfect for an exhibition. Plus, you can get a taste of South African food while you're there. It's like a short trip to South Africa without leaving the city!

LBB> What was the toughest challenge you faced in bringing this campaign to life, and how did you overcome it?

Tolga> I think our biggest challenge is that we have a unique and fantastic product like South Africa, but we don’t have the same kind of budget as destinations like Switzerland. When Switzerland runs a campaign, they often use celebrities and large media budgets that create significant visibility. (Interestingly, people even thought I was involved in a recent Switzerland campaign because the director looked like me, and I received countless messages about it!)

For us though, we don’t have the budget to hire famous personalities or spend heavily on media. Our strength lies in the unique ideas we bring to the table. Our challenge is to develop ideas that resonate deeply with people and capture their interest. We want viewers to feel the breathtaking beauty of South Africa – the landscapes, the people, the lifestyle, and the weather – through our creative approach. It’s not easy, but every year, we’ve managed to exceed expectations. With this campaign, we believe we’ve delivered something truly extraordinary that showcases South Africa in a way that’s both compelling and impactful.