The Nedbank Cup Football Tournament gives low ranking teams the chance to compete against the country’s best. Having renewed their sponsorship of the tournament for another 5 years, Nedbank wanted to take the property to a new level. They wanted to position themselves as a bank for all South Africans and prove that with them, anyone can achieve their goals.

We launched a nationwide search for a brand new football team - a squad of ordinary, everyday people who would be trained by professional coaches to take on the winners of the Nedbank Cup.

The tryouts generated rich stories that were turned into a 12-part TV show. This was supported by content across various media channels.

The final squad was announced live and the Ke Yona Team was born. After months of training, they came face to face with their heroes, football giants, Kaizer Chiefs, proving to the nation that with Nedbank, anyone can achieve their goals.

The Ke Yona Team captured the country’s imagination. A television and radio audience of 30 million tuned in each week to follow their favourite players and watch their stories unfold.

Using multiple channels to fuel the buzz, we generated 900 million media impressions.

The final match between the Ke Yona Team and Kaizer Chiefs saw 28,000 people filling the stadium and more than 2 million people supporting the game on TV.

In the first 5 months of the campaign, 526,697 new Ke Yona accounts were opened.

9 players have already been signed by Premier League Football teams in South Africa, proving that with Nedbank, you can achieve your goals.

Extensive communication invited all South Africans to try out for the Ke Yona Team.

The action and drama of the tryouts was turned into a 12-part TV show, screened every Saturday before the Nedbank Cup games. This was supported by additional branded content on popular TV sports shows and community radio stations.

Back-stories, player profiles and all the action was published online, creating a highly engaging experience. These hero stories were also picked up by major media outlets – strengthening the campaign and it’s messaging.

Social media platforms gave our audience the opportunity to join the conversation. Active community management allowed us to respond in real-time, amplifying the most popular stories.

The final squad was announced live to an excited nation, and the Ke Yona Team was born. After months of training, they came face to face with Premier League champions, Kaizer Chiefs - inspiring the nation and proving that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things.