The world has gone a bit mad over the last 12 months. This is as true in South Africa as anywhere else. It’s been a lot to deal with and we felt that people just needed a break – a break from all the conspiracy theories and theorists, the zoom calls and people who log onto them 5 minutes early; all the things and people that have been adding unnecessary stress to an already stressful world. The “Savatical” concept was a promotional campaign that offered Savanna consumers the chance to win three months’ salary which gave them one less thing to worry about. And our radio spots addressed some of the things (and some of the people) we wish we could take a break from in Savanna’s crisp, witty style.

Savanna Savatical Radio – POLONY

Some people really, really need to rest baf‘ethu (baf’ethu - brother) :

Like people who consult their gogos (grandmother) instead of their GPs.

Rest mntase’ (mnatase’ – no direct translation, a nickname for family member or friend).

i-Castor oil can’t cure cholesterol.

Like people who use the internet to self-diagnose – rest friends –

why get your medical advice from the same place you get your memes?

And like these guys who don’t trust the vaccine.

But eat polony, chicken feet le di skoppo (skoppo – cow or sheeps heads) from street vendors.

Hhayi man! (hhayi man - no man)

Like, people who live stream their best lives – on a Thursday night.

Only to call in sick on Friday morning.

Rest, bafo’ – because we see you.

And people who are really sick but come to work anyway.

Hhayi lona (hhayi lona – no, not this one), we don’t need to see you.

These people need to rest.

and so do you.

Take a Savatical. Win 3 months’ salary for 3 months’ rest.

Savanna. It’s dry but you can drink it.

The phrase “Rest” or “ Rest baf’ethu” has become South African social media short-hand for calm down, or relax, and is used to respond to the people we see on our timelines acting a fool. In our spots, we used the “Rest” concept to tell some people that it’s time they relaxed, and took a break. One of our motivations for telling our audience that it’s time to “Rest”, has been the tendency we’ve noticed in our own consumers to be touch irresponsible in these Covid times. Savanna drinkers have developed a bit of a reputation for being a little wild and over the top, often ignoring Covid protocols. The idea to use the “Rest” meme to land our Savatical promotion was partly driven by our desire to suggest to our audience to calm down in these Covid times.