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Hotel’s election-inspired posters take advertising to next level
Twenty-six years after first making headlines, the Highgate Hotel has made political strides of a different kind.
Highgate Hotel street pole ads | Images: Twitter
An East London-based hotel’s latest ad campaign has gone viral for cleverly capitalising on election fever with their cute posters mimicked after political party campaign posters.
Next level advertising from Highgate Hotel 👏🏽👏🏽😂 pic.twitter.com/jHwkcwoNfG
— J. Gibbs 🇿🇦 (@JayGibbs_) April 9, 2019
The posters found their way onto social media after a resident in the area spotted each poster and took photos.
Speaking to the Citizen, the hotel’s general manager David Ellis said that campaign was an internal initiative and not something they contracted out to an advertising company.
“It was something we did internally with our motivated team of staff. In fact, it was the brainchild of one of the directors of the hotel named John Kairuz,” said Ellis.
The last time the hotel made headlines was in 1993 and 2002 and both times, the headlines were related to a shooting that took place at the hotel in 1993.
Five people died and seven people were injured when a group of men opened fire on the hotel on an evening in May 1993, shortly after 10pm.
According to The New York Times, witnesses said three men in masks entered the hotel and headed for its two bars and pool room. Lieutenant Col. Christo Louw told the publication they then tossed tear gas into one bar, a hand grenade in the pool room and opened fire with AK-47 assault rifles.
Although no one ever took responsibility for the killings, several attacks on white people in the region at that time were attributed to the Pan Africanist Congress.
Twenty-six years later, the hotel has made headlines for political reasons of a different kind.
When asked if they had received any backlash from any of the country’s most popular political parties, Ellis said they underwent a consultation process prior to printing the posters and they received a positive response from the DA and EFF, in particular, who found the campaign amusing.
“We consulted some of them and they didn’t seem to have any problems,” added Ellis.
Among some of the criticism levelled against a campaign of this nature is the fact that people may mistake the adverts for yet another campaign poster, as South Africa is on the verge of elections.
“Contrary to that belief, that has not happened,” began Ellis, before adding, “I’m a firm believer of any kind of publicity, I’m from the old school rock-and-roll era.”
Take a closer look at the street pole ads and the party posters they’re modelled after:
Freedom Front Plus/Vryheidsfront Plus (FF+/VF+)
Highgate Hotel street pole ad | Image: Twitter
Democratic Alliance (DA)
Highgate Hotel street pole ad | Image: Twitter
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
Highgate Hotel street pole ad | Image: Twitter
African National Congress (ANC)
Highgate Hotel street pole ad | Image: Twitter
Check out what social media users had to say about the campaign.
Brilliant concept
— Master J (@JostaMasterJ) April 9, 2019
Another poster with a burger on it pic.twitter.com/rGcZEsrMaS
— The Look Of Champions (@ZwangaMukhuthu) April 9, 2019
Marketing level 999
— Mr Mike 👌 (@Mr_Mike_B_7) April 9, 2019
Very creative
— katlego (@iamkatz_) April 9, 2019
@NandosSA was never ready…..
— ファゼル・クラーク (@baehathi) April 9, 2019
Best timing… profound marketing Campaign
— L Paska Ndhlovu (@VutomiePSK) April 9, 2019
They can’t, they didn’t appropriate any logos or trademarks even though we can see it’s close. They can’t be sued for using the same colours either. This is some really clever marketing.
— Sphe (@Peabss) April 9, 2019
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