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3 Brands That Know Youth Don’t Like It Slow

In Trends

South African brands spend big budgets on going above the line, through the line and below the line but Afrillennials (African Millennials) think that it’s no use if brands’ actions are lagging. Be it that you’re thinking too hard or doing too little, being late to show up could be critical. Not showing up at all? That’s a shame! Let’s take a look at how Chevrolet, Oreo and Nando’s are letting their creative juices flow on time, getting millennials to ra-ra over their ingenious stunts.

Chevrolet And The Braam Lion

While social media was going nuts about a lion roaming Braamfontein earlier this year, Chevrolet got cracking on a quirky campaign that left South Africans in stitches.  The brand identified an opportunity and kicked off a social campaign with the messaging “It’s not the same if it’s not genuine” to market genuine parts for Chevrolet Complete Care. The stunt saw them sending a man dressed as a lion into Braamfontein and filming him roaming the streets doing all sorts of sinister un-liony things.

What Chevrolet’s brand marketing managed to achieve was creating awareness first and foremost by aligning to a trending topic, and also target a market where all trends start. Suddenly students can relate and identify with the brand’s personality and they’re most definitely considering how Chevrolet fits into their lives. Fun filled and a little risqué, this campaign was totally worth the drive!

Oreo: On The Dark Side

An oldie but a goody – do you remember when the 2013 Superbowl’s power got cut? Oreo jumped at the opportunity to say “You Can still Dunk In The Dark”. Who would’ve thought Oreo would be a good fit? But their “why not?” attitude is a great example that goes to show brands who sit on ideas too long, either end up losing ideas to other brands or being too slow to respond. Oreo’s fast turn around and quick thinking drew them a crowd of thousands all thinking about Oreo at the same time, not to mention students watching from their social media platforms and other screens.

Oreo went from being an old cookie everyone knows, to a modern marketing whizz kid that Afrillennials love and continues to innovate. Fast forward to 2016, Oreo recently hosted a #LetWonderOut campaign, taking a #WonderSelfie activation around SA, which of course Afrillennials were hooked on. The unique Oreo Wonder-Selfie machine allowed customers the chance to take their own #WonderSelfie to share with friends on social media.

Being on time isn’t just about waking to the fact that something happened on the day, but spotting and utilizing current trends that suit your brand. Long live the selfie!

Saucy Nando’s

The one brand that’s always on point is Nando’s of course. From making fun of Zuma’s impeachment…

 

…to poking fun at Baleka Mbethe during SONA 2016. Nando’s has never been afraid to tackle opportunities (tongue in cheek) and saying what’s on Afrillennial minds. Notorious for their timeous responses, they also do well at diversifying their marketing communications via different platforms, eg. Using twitter for sassy posts vs using their Nando’s website for news on their latest offerings. Consumers appreciate when brands don’t force themselves into conversations where they aren’t needed.

 

Right Here, Right Now!

Trending is all about harnessing currency. If you’re too late to play, the game will go on without your brand. Students are still glued to their devices and it’s not about to change, but they are doing this in many different spaces. Creating an omnipresent brand model that’s connected with its audience’s reality is the key to yoking the youth’s attention.

Oreo, Chevrolet and Nando’s clearly demonstrate what it means to be a real time brand. This is where choosing the right marketing arsenal becomes critical, something these three brands have mastered. Everything Afrillennials expose themselves to is fast paced and driven by instant gratification, a brands’ ability to be proactive and react should be no exception.

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