A gastronomic and cultural fusion promises a delicious spicy burger that is ideally aligned with its local market.
South Africans are a colourful nation with 11 official languages, and 12 1f you consider Mzansi’s daily slang such as ‘Sho!’ and ‘shuuu!’. In honour of these unique culturally significant colloquial expressions, Burger King® decided to launch its most recent Hot Chilli Lover Burger by incorporating them into its promotion, along with hot sauce, Tabasco®.
‘Burger King partnered with Tabasco to make a bespoke Tabasco. At the same time simply showing shots of delicious food wasn’t enough as that was an industry standard. We had to showcase the functional taste benefit in a culturally relevant way to make the offering stand out,’ said Glenn Jeffery, Executive Creative Director, Grey Advertising Africa.
‘Shuuu!’ and ‘Sho!’ are the two phonetics that permeate throughout the campaign, both in video and on outdoor. In the TVC, the leading lady utters a disappointed ‘Shuuu’ after a particularly unflattering driver’s licence photo reveals her in mid-sneeze. There is a negative sentiment echoed by the lady behind the counter with a ‘Shuuu!’ of her own in sympathy. The same sound is later expressed by as another unfortunate lady bites into a deliciously spicy Hot Chilli burger at a Burger King franchise.
This time, a slight change of tone renders the utterance to be one of positive appreciation. South Africans are simply complex, and the same simple sound can express a myriad of emotions ranging from disappointment to surprise and pleasure. This simple complexity is celebrated in the pairing of Burger King’s® delicious burgers and Tabasco’s® spicy tang.
Director Jozua Malherbe at 7 Films remarked, ‘It’s a real treat to work with the same brand and agency when you have synergy. The Burger King world is growing and with it some new characters and ‘South Africanisms’. What we are getting right is speaking directly to audiences and showing them the world as they know it.’
‘We wanted a campaign that could translate the flavour and spice of the new Hot Chilli Lover. Our brief to our agency was simple, ‘explain spice and flavour in a South African context’.
‘The result is a humorous and relatable TV ad, that we can all enjoy. The Hot Chilli Lover is a spicy burger, with enough flavour to make you forget about all the Shjoe, Sho or Shuu moments of the day,’ said Ezelna Jones, marketing executive, Burger King SA.
GREY JHB
www.grey.co.za
