The UN estimates that two indigenous languages disappear every month.In South Africa alone, there are 11 official languages. And yet, Autocorrect only recognises one – English.

Savanna Cider is South Africa’s biggest and most-loved cider and a champion of all things South African. And so it took up the cause to help every South African citizen to text in their own indigenous language.

Hands up if you knew that words contained in contact files on mobile phones (the text files that store your contacts' names and details) are not checked for spelling by Autocorrect? By providing downloadable contact files containing 500 of the most-used words in South Africa’s 10 other official languages, we could circumnavigate any Autocorrect snafus.

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.

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 each indigenous 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

We promoted it with a campaign ran for six months (Nov 2019 to March 2020) 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 in a way that recognized language as a sacred part of our identity. We imagined it would be just a short-term, tactical campaign. But downloads and social buzz have continued long after the idea ceased being promoted over a year later.

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

Downloads continue despite the campaign having ended a year ago.

Coverage on all major TV and Radio stations.

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.

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

Downloads continue despite the campaign having ended.

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 languages.