The advertising industry is in crisis. Many people hate ads and some research indicates that ads have lost their effectiveness. SA’s most memorable and impactful TV adverts were made between the 1980s and late 1990s. It was a time when ads like Sasol’s “Ama-Glug-Glug” and Telkom’s “Molo Mhlobo Wam” represented more than just a visual marketing tool to sell a product. The ads of that era had meaning, they inspired and shaped culture, and they played a vital role in unifying our nation.
Because the left brain’s primary tool is language, the ads use prominent voice-overs, monologues to camera or regular metered prose. Words obtrude on the visuals, spelling out what you should be thinking and how you should be reacting to what you’re seeing. It shuns things that only the right brain understands, so there is no room for characters, betweenness, dialogue or drama.
Advertising has the power to challenge the status quo, especially in SA, and address issues like racism, diversity and representation, culture and inclusion Advertising has the power to challenge the status quo, especially in SA, and address issues like racism, diversity and representation, culture and inclusion. With digital media here to stay, it’s crucial that mindsets shift to finding the balance between long-term effectiveness and short-term demand.