Nandos Xenophobic TV Ad Hits The Newspapers Nandos and its advertising agency, Black River FC, have always been quick off the mark, looking for ways to capitalise on matters making the news and getting the brand talked about, and with their latest Bio-diversity TV commercial, have done it again. Not being happy having their ad banned from the airwaves by the SABC, MNet, DSTV and eTV for being too xenophobic, they decided to gain publicity by “airing” the offending ad in the newspaper. Clever.
The full page full colour ad in this week’s Sunday Times entitled “The pro-diversity ad broadcasters don’t want you to see” with the TV script “You know what’s wrong with South Africa? All you foreigners. You must all go back to where you came from. You Cameroonians, Congolese, Pakistanis, Somalis, Ghanaians and Kenyans. And of course you Nigerians and you Europeans. Let’s not forget all you Indians and Chinese. Even you Afrikaners. And it’s back to Swaziland for you Swatis, Lesotho for you Sothos, Tswanas, Vendas, Zulus, everybody…” has certainly had people sitting up and taking notice.
The commercial ends with the voice over saying “Real South Africans love diversity. That’s why we’ve introduced two more items to our menu: delicious peri-crusted wings for R19.90..and mouthwatering Trichado and chips for R24.90”
And just in case you haven’t been following the issue, the copy at the bottom of the newspaper ad explains that “SABC, M-Net and etv have banned this ad. They’ve made the decision for you. That’s why we’re giving you the option of seeing it here. Unlike our broadcasters, we’re giving you the right to choose”
Earlier this month, TV stations SABC, DSTV, MNet and eTV chose not to flight the ad, arguing that it promoted xenophobia, had xenophobic connotations and could incite attacks on foreigners. Commenting further, a spokesperson for the SABC said “Nando’s may say that it is trying to promote diversity but what we are concerned about is that the public might interpret it differently”
The print ad also had a YouTube address, showing where the commercial could be viewed. (Which, at the time of writing, had been viewed nearly four hundred thousand times. Bet your bottom dollar that it will be viewed by a heck of a lot more than this as word spreads)
Whilst I think the ad is great, my only question is why no mention of Zimbabweans? With an estimated three to four million Zimbabweans living in South Africa (and with the TV ad showing some of them coming through the fence on the Beitbridge border), one would have thought that our northern brethren would have been the focus – but maybe a bit too close to home, I suggest? And maybe because Nandos were stung by the reaction of Mugabe’s Zanu PF and threats against Nandos Zimbabwe by Mugabe’s Chipangano militia when its “dictator” commercial flighted a few months back?
I shudder (and laugh) to think what the SABC and other TV stations must feel when advised of a new Nandos commercial? With the company’s reputation for producing edgy and provocative work, they must quake in their boots…
But hats off to Nandos for their courageous advertising. With this latest commercial, they have certainly caught the attention. It can’t be easy for TV stations to turn away advertising, especially in this economy. Although I see their point. Running the risk of promoting xenophobia in South Africa is something far more serious and important than allowing a franchise to sell fast food.
