"Clover's new positioning campaign has taken many months to complete and we're thrilled with the results," says Joe Public's executive creative director, Pepe Marais.
The first phase of implementing the new philosophy began internally amongst employees, recognising that they needed more than just a new campaign, but also a new energy to take Clover to the next level and make it their creed.
Externally, a teaser radio spot and billboard were simultaneously launched. The campaign's development was measured alongside the company's three pillars of quality, innovation and leadership, while also recognising its social development and heritage responsibility as a company whose relationship with South Africa is over a hundred years old.
"The second, more customer-centric phase, will be a 360-degree above- and below-the-line campaign that will introduce and entrench the 'Way Better' message across South Africa," says Danielle Kruger, account manager of the Clover account at Joe Public. The follow-on integrated campaign includes trucks, cinema, billboards, mall activations, online, print, in-store and limited edition packaging.
The company wanted to take the consumer on a journey, as well as unearth and capture the magic of milk, to allow them to drift back to that time, as a child, when everything was mysterious and anything was possible. To harness this childlike purity and fascination, Joe Public have come up with the company's factory, positioned in the heart of the Milky Way. The consumer is therefore invited into this world to better understand and share in the magic of the brand.
The first 70-second television commercial was flighted on 7 October 2011 and will be complemented by two shorter, 30-second commercials. Jannes Hendricks from Shy of the Sun directed the six-month long animation process, Bruce Puynter from CAB Films the live action and final 3D animation by Black Ginger.
"We have already received extremely positive feedback on our positioning from our people and the trade and we are confident that it will resonate with our customers across the country," says Dr. Chris Lerm, brands and marketing director for Clover, emphasising that everything the company does in the near future will be linked to its positioning.
"This will include packaging changes and an updated logo, aiming at modernising our mother brand and giving our brands and product a new look and feel. The brief to Joe Public was to make the logo more iconic, thus aligning it to the 'Way Better' positioning and subsequent standards. The evolution to this was done by emphasising the leaf and adding a holding shape that acts as a seal for quality.
With Yellowwood Brand Architects recently ranking Clover as the third most engaging brand in the country, Lerm says the group's ongoing focus will be to build on its strong relationship with consumers, especially as a respected brand.
TVC added at 5.24pm on 10 October 2011.
