Western Cape road safety makes public service point humourous

Many South African English speakers definitely lose out by not communicating in, or even listening to, other languages.

The rest of the people in this country often speak three or more languages, whereas we English-speakers expect everyone to speak to us in our language … and then to do so properly.

In the case of Afrikaans, English-speakers miss out on a lot of interesting content in newspapers, on TV and on radio.

And I admit, I am lazy that way: I have to remind myself every so often to go on to SABC2 or KykNet and take in an Afrikaans programme or two.

Afrikaans advertising has, for the same reason, often been ignored by the greater marketing industry, which is largely dominated by white, English speakers.

A few years ago, the Pendoring Awards were created to recognise Afrikaans-language advertising, which was not being reflected in the Loeries ad awards at the time.

Pendorings have become sought-after and have highlighted some really great advertising – not just great Afrikaans advertising, but great advertising, full stop.

The awards have produced their own memorable ads, including one about 10 years ago, when black ink poured out of a mouth … a sort of film noir type point about creativity’s different outlets.

Being different – and taking a bit of a chance when it comes to using sensitive material – is what won Y and R Cape Town and 7Films a special Pendoring last night for their TV ad for the Western Cape government’s road safety campaign.

There have been a number of different spots for the campaign and they have used a range of methods – from shock to humour – to get across various points about safe driving.

The Pendoring-winning ad, titled “Everybody knows”, takes place in the gang-riddled Cape Flats.

A group of gangsters is sitting around, gambling and drinking heavily, their guns readily available. Someone rushes in with bad news and the gangsters all grab their guns and rush to go and exact revenge.

They all pile into the car … and realise no-one is in the driver’s seat. The conversation bounces around the car in the best township Afrikaans, as they all realise they’re drunk and the cops are all over the place breathalysing people.

The gang leader decides it: “Gentelmen! Let’s take a taxi!” The punchline is that “Everybody knows” it’s illegal to drive when you’re drunk … and they know you’ll get caught.

The humour helps elevate the grim content and make a great public service point. I know it’s not quite a Pendoring, but Y and R and 7 Films, you get an Orchid from me. And now, from the you-can’t make-this-up marketing department.

Colleague Linden Birns popped into his local Roman’s pizza outlet in Cape Town recently, looking for a medium pizza for lunch. You can’t have one, he was told. The special is for two.

He asked a few times, emphasising he only wanted one. No can do, was the response … so Linden walked into the Woolies next door and bought himself a sandwich.

Of course, the world being what it is, Linden’s experience, when posted on Facebook, generated many comments, most disparaging, about customer service at Roman’s Pizza.

The common theme was that this cavalier approach to customer service – and marketing inflexibility – is commonplace in modern-day South Africa where our national marketing motto seems to be: The answer’s No! Now, what’s the question?

The Facebook post had a sequel a few days later, when Linden was contacted by someone from the social media team handling his activities online.

Then he was contacted by someone else from Brendan Seery ORCHIDS AND ONIONS the customer service department, or some such, of Roman’s Pizza.

After a bit, she asked him what size pizza he had ordered, and Linden said it was the medium one. “Oh well then, that explains it,” she said (or words to that effect). “You can’t order only one of those.” True story.

Linden’s comment was that he could see why Roman’s was so empty. Today’s Onion special means Roman’s gets two: one for alienating a customer and the second for making it worse with their inflexibility. And sorry, you can’t have just one …

Citizen acting deputy editor Brendan Seery.

For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter.