A new Momentum Insure television commercial, which is produced by the Brave Group and partner agencies, shows Cheslin Kolbe seeing his younger self in the mirror while he stands before it in his rugby gear. The juxtaposition is telling of how he felt unsafe when he was young.
Momentum Insure launched their Science of Safety campaign through a series of activities that highlighted the importance of feeling safe and how safety ignites confidence on your journey to success. They have recently partnered with some of South Africa’s top influencers on a series that saw them being put on a challenge to overcome their fears and how people can rise above the unsafe situations by having the Science of Safety behind them. They are now embarking on a journey with Kolbe where they are telling his true-life story through a television commercial which demonstrates how safety ignites the confidence to succeed.
Kolbe has had to overcome so much to become the South African hero that he is today. He grew up surrounded by crime and was considered by many to be too small to play professional rugby, let alone become an international superstar.
Gang violence was rife in Kraaifontein, where Kolbe grew up. He had some dangerous experiences as a youngster, and he followed his dad wherever he went to the training field. ‘Whenever he played on weekends, I always went there, stood next to the field and supported him,’ said Kolbe who wanted to become a professional rugby player because of his dad. ‘My dad never had that opportunity because of apartheid, but I saw a bigger picture.’
There was also the issue that Kolbe was smaller than other children his age. ‘I played in the streets – touch rugby, physical rugby – and we would literally go full-on at each other, with blood running and bruises.’ Kolbe said this push forward despite his size made him a stronger person. It ignited a feeling of security in his ability to become the player that would make his younger self proud and to succeed.
It ties in with Momentum Insure’s thinking – not feeling safe keeps you static and insecure and when you feel safe, that’s when you gain the confidence and momentum to move forward. The TV commercial is important in illustrating the science of safety through Kolbe’s story – a beautiful parallel with the Momentum Insure philosophy. The two distinct stories tell of Kolbe being overlooked, not being considered good enough or eligible for international rugby. That in itself is a trigger for fear.
‘Kolbe’s story is a perfect example of how feeling safe breeds confidence and confidence breeds success – and his feelings of safety ignited that confidence for his success journey, thanks in no small part to the feeling of safety and encouragement created for him by his family and community, and his belief and confidence in himself,’ said Momentum Insure CMO Shweshwe Tlhapane.
Seeing as though Kolbe is not an actor by trade, it was important for Momentum Insure to make him feel safe and secure during the TV commercial shoot as well. Being out of his comfort zone, it was imperative that Kolbe was made to feel at ease to talk about his experiences without feeling pressured.
Kolbe’s story also resonates with the good, though. ‘My parents and my family, laying out the foundation for me as a young child, definitely evolved the way I saw life and the way I was protected. And that story mirrors Momentum Insure’s way of thinking,’ said Kolbe.
‘The science of safety is something that we’re extremely excited about,’ said Nontokozo Madonsela, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings. ‘In essence, it’s really a deep dive into behavioural science and really understanding how our clients react specifically to safety.’ This critical insight has been the brain child behind the telling of Kolbe’s story and how he has been able to achieve success and move forward with momentum.
MOMENTUM
www.momentum.co.za
