Amid the ongoing battle for attention, Savanna Cider found a way to embed itself in the mobile phones of all its vernacular consumers. As South Africa’s most-loved cider, known for its crisp dry commentary on the ironies of South African life, we gave South Africans a helpful tool to help them express themselves in their mother tongues. It’s a direct call to #DecoloniseAutocorrect on your mobile phone by simply downloading a contact file to your phone, populated with 500 of the most-used words in your preferred language.

The UN estimates that two indigenous languages disappear every month.

In South Africa alone, there are 11 official languages. 2000 Across the African continent. And yet, Autocorrect only recognises only one – English. Try text in your indigenous languages and your words are often mangled beyond understanding.

The challenge for brands in South Africa is to stay relevant not just in a cluttered market, but in culture that changes almost daily - SA is still less than 30 years old and is a proverbial melting pot of cultures, traditions, beliefs and languages. In most of Africa, the concept of “de-colonization” deals with a very real problem. For many brands it’s a challenge. For us, it was an opportunity to remain topical.

Hands up if you knew words in Contact Files on mobiles aren’t checked by autocorrect. They’re treated as names and left unaltered. We made downloadable contact files containing word lists in every South African language, ensuring autocorrect wouldn’t alter words typed in indigenous languages, preserving their original spelling and meaning.

We found a way to hack autocorrect to allow users to text in their indigenous languages, By simply downloading a .cfv file containing 500 of the most-used words in every language. What makes this idea truly innovative is the subversion of state-of-the art technology. Many innovations in mobile technology involve downloading bulky applications and software. Our tool simply leverages existing keyboard software, by making the contact files available to save instantly at https:/savannacider.com/decolonise

Savanna Cider is South Africa’s biggest and most-loved cider. It is a brand born and raised here and its platform #Siyavanna South Africa, means ‘we get you, we see you, we’re in the same Whatsapp group.’ The brand is always in need of fresh ideas that keep it relevant while building on its quirky and unapologetic brand character that made it one of South Africa’s most loved and iconic brands and so it took up the cause to allow each citizen to express themselves in their mother tongue by providing people with an audaciously simple mobile tool. This speaks directly to Savanna’s core target market, black males and females, 18 to 35 – all of whom have home languages other than English and who operate in a mobile-first world.

We found a way to hack autocorrect to allow users to text in their indigenous languages by simply downloading a .cfv file containing 500 of the most-used words in every language. What makes this idea truly innovative is the subversion of state-of-the art technology. Many innovations in mobile technology involve downloading bulky applications. Our tool simply leverages existing keyboard software, by making the contact files available to save instantly at https://savannacider.com/decolonise

The campaign ran for six months across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and GDN – all driving downloads on a bespoke mobisite containing the contact files.

With the debates swirling around social media at the time, we intended the campaign to weigh in on the topic of de-colonization and the importance of language and identity. We imagined it would be a short-term, tactical campaign. But downloads and social buzz have continued long after promotion.

700 downloads per day during the campaign, across all 11 languages.

11 500 000 Media impressions

10.7% FB engagement rate (77x SA industry ave.)

4.1% Twitter engagement rate (50x SA industry ave.)

All for less than $20k media spend..

Downloads continue despite the campaign having ended.

Coverage on all major TV and Radio stations.

What’s more, we’ve invented a simple tool with the power to not just help South Africans express themselves more freely, but also speakers of every other language in the world. We have seen a massive increase in fans on social media engaging with the brand in vernac/ indigenous language.