Why Giving up Isn’t an Option for This Cider Brand
Uk'fosta – or ‘keep pushing’ - is the spirit with which Hunter’s cider tackled its latest campaign. The spot sees the Afronoughts band, fostering a dream to play music to a large audience, but small crowds won’t deter their ambitious spirit, as they invite the audience in regardless. Mirroring Hunter’s brand motto, as the first African cider brand in a market monopolised by beer, it shows why it’s been around for the last 35 years.
Following a band that doesn’t reach superstardom, but does gain a small audience at a gig, the spot didn’t want to oversell the sentiment, keeping things optimistic but also realistic. Filmed in the Melville suburb of Johannesburg and with a catchy song written by singer-songwriter Moonga K, the track and storyline tell the story of South Africa’s diversity and stories of hope, targeting the younger population who are currently grappling with prospects of unemployment.
To share more about the backstory of the band, creating an authentic set and shooting over two extended days, Grey South Africa’s executive creative director Glenn Jeffery speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> The Afronoughts band is certainly a quirky group, each member with a unique vibe. What was the inspiration behind them as the protagonists of this campaign?
Glenn> The campaign celebrates people with the spirit of uk'fosta (the people who push through adversity and never give up). So we wanted to capture that spirit through the story of a band who hasn't quite made it yet but are not deterred. They're on a journey to find their identity and fame, and we catch them early in their journey as they experiment with what they are. The inspiration for the Afronoughts is every band out there who are at that stage where ‘the only reason it's a paying gig is because the band is paying for it.’
LBB> Talk to us about the Hunter's brand, how it's positioned in the market and what it wanted to achieve through this campaign.
Glenn> Hunter's is the original cider in the market, and since its launch 35 years ago, the brand has always championed refreshment as a functional role but also as an emotive one in how it celebrates refreshing ideas. In its latest guise, the brand endeavours to keep those who live with that spirit of uk'fosta refreshed. Hunter's also has a proud history of playing in the music space, so we wanted to incorporate that theme into the spot.
LBB> What was the target audience for this spot, and how were you mindful of that within the stylisation and ideation of the campaign?
Glenn> South Africa is a diverse country with many amazing stories of hope, but we also have many challenges, including high unemployment levels among the youth. Against that backdrop, we targeted young adults with a message about celebrating their resilience in the face of adversity, all the while keeping a light-hearted tone. The audience we target also shows ingenuity in their resilience, and we wanted to capture that in the band's spirit, and it also influenced how the band was styled to express their creativity.
LBB> Where was the spot shot, and what was the timescale like?
Glenn> The ad was shot over two extended days in the Melville suburb of Johannesburg. Melville is known for its eclectic night spots, and we needed a bar that felt not only small enough but also charming enough to convey the early stage which the band was at and how they could only play small gigs for now.
LBB> Through the creative process, there must have been a backstory behind our protagonist, which led to the creative execution and the styling, too. Can you share a little more about that with us?
Glenn> We loved the idea of a story that didn't end in superstar success. In this category, the stories often follow a rags-to-riches narrative where the protagonist is shown to rise and achieve greatness. We didn't want to tell that story. Instead, we wanted to delve into a more realistic world where we celebrate resilience over success alone. It's a story about how the road to being great doesn't start off great.
LBB> How does the main character play into the vision from Hunter's and champion what the brand wanted to achieve?
Glenn> We wanted to show some vulnerability in our character up front as the band is setting up, which the narrator describes. There's always pressure to perform, and it takes resilience to push through the fears and obstacles to keep going because, after all, who else will do it if you don't? So, in that way, our main character encompasses this spirit of uk'fosta.
LBB> The song is a catchy little earworm. How did you go about creating it?
Glenn> We cast a real singer-songwriter in Moonga K as the lead, and he wrote and performed the song. We wanted a unique sound that wouldn't wear down over many listens, and Moonga knocked it out of the park.
LBB> What was the process of creating the set like? How did you incorporate the subtle nods to Hunter's with the props, the lighting choices, and the little details throughout?
Glenn> The goal was to recreate that authentic bar environment, the kind of place artists play their first gig even if they have to pay for it. We also wanted to balance that with the cues of the Hunter's brand, so we brought in subtle brand colours of red, green, and gold in the bar lighting. Of course, being a cider brand meant having a neon Hunter's logo on the wall would feel perfectly natural in a bar setting, so all these things came together to set the tone of the story and the brand. It also helped that the location was a real bar.
LBB> So far, how has the market been responding to the spot? What are some of the reactions you've come across?
Glenn> It's been a joy to have so many positive reactions. While the narration of the ad is light-hearted, it is an emotive spot, and people have responded to the inspirational nature of the ad. One of the highlights was a letter from a musician talking about how he felt seen in this ad. He relayed his personal journey about starting a band and how he had to dig deep to keep it going. Today, he is successful, but his journey is what made him the success he is, and this ad connects with that.
LBB> Aside from this campaign, what else can we expect to see from the brand in terms of campaigns, activations or general marketing?
Glenn> Hunter's as a brand is on a resurgent path. It was once one of the largest cider brands in the world, and we're aiming to take it back there. We want to show up in much more interesting ways, including how we activate, and there's a great activation idea launching next year. There will be various campaigns launching over the next few months across different channels, so keep a lookout for them.
LBB> What was the most rewarding part of the process?
Glenn> This project had many highlights, from working with a real artist to the collaborative director and an exceptional client with a single-minded vision. What was particularly rewarding was people's reaction on the brand's social channels, taking the time to tell us how much this spot resonated with them and mirrored their journey.
