A living billboard
Dubbed 'Order from the Country', the campaign brought a taste of the countryside to the heart of bustling urban Johannesburg, says The Hardy Boys.
According to the agency, it unfolded at one of South Africa's busiest malls, the Mall of Africa, offering shoppers a unique opportunity to savour a taste of the countryside during the holiday season. At the heart of the experience was an interactive billboard designed to delight and surprise passersby by interacting with them like something straight out of a children's storybook.
Wholesome lunch incoming
But it didn't stop there, according to the agency. Shoppers were randomly selected to participate and given the chance to place real-time food orders through the interactive Stork billboard. The menu featured three delectable options, each more mouth-watering than the last, and of course, always including Stork margarine as a key ingredient.
Shoppers could choose:
- the Gourmet Tramezzini from Whispering Pines
- a Waffle Stack from Toadbury Hall, or
- The Fun Guy from Ground from The Venue.
All of these options were carefully selected from unique country venues outside of Johannesburg.
As the surprised shoppers looked on, their orders were "magically" delivered fresh from the countryside in just 60 seconds, offering city dwellers a genuine taste of the country, the agency adds.
Making memorable experiences
Research shows that people are suffering from digital fatigue and looking for memorable real-world experiences from brands that build connections. The Hardy Boys says the 'Stork Order from the Country' campaign achieves all of the above.
"The dream is always to partner with creatively ambitious and brave clients," says Taweni Gondwe-Xaba, managing director of The Hardy Boys.
"In partnership with the Stork brand team, we conceptualised and executed an intriguing, memorable and immersive brand experience in real life that was powerfully amplified online by our partners at Retroviral. It's very gratifying that this big win with consumers has translated into a big win with the ad industry's best minds as well. That's the sweet spot," Gondwe-Xaba adds.
Geoff Paton, chief creative officer at The Hardy Boys, says, "It takes a lot of hard work, planning and collaboration to make an idea like 'Order From The Country' look effortless and simple. And there aren't a lot of second chances when you have so many live elements in the mix."
"So, it was really rewarding to see it all come together in an experience that truly surprised people and brought a smile to their day. Congratulations to our team, our agency partners and our clients at Stork for a great win and for pushing to get this idea out into the world," adds Paton.
Standing out from the clutter
According to the agency, the 'Stork Order from the Country' campaign also proves that it's possible for a simple household grocery item to retain its status as a much-loved brand in the 21st century, even in a world where audiences are constantly bombarded with messaging.
"Breaking through and standing out as brands today is very challenging," says Tanya Bahlmann, RCL marketing executive for Siqalo Foods. "Brand loyalty and the ability to keep consumers in your brand for generations are no longer a given."
"As custodians of one of South Africa's oldest heritage brands, bringing life to the brand's DNA and essence in a fresh and contemporary way requires us to do things differently. Building iconic, much-loved brands requires creativity, some of the best minds in the business, and a little bit of crazy," says Bahlmann.
"This 'Order from the Country' campaign has been hugely successful — for those who had the joy of participating on the day, to the millions who have watched the event across many social media platforms — it really captured the hearts and minds of all South Africans. Thanks to the team at The Hardy Boys and Retroviral for this creative genius, and for making this magic happen," Bahlmann concludes.
The 'Stork Order from the Country' campaign was created by The Hardy Boys, and executed in partnership with production studio Indie Village, PR and influencer agency, Retroviral and media agency, Ph.D. The agency concludes that Stork remains committed to delivering wholesome goodness to families nationwide.