In a society with an attention span of minutes, historical context is elusive. Yet such context is essential for society to flourish, and helps us learn from mistakes and do everything possible to prevent the unthinkable from recurring.
This :30, which gives us a taste of the unthinkable, thrusts us into the middle of a newscast, where Sally Burdett, a TV reporter in the field, is standing on a beach in Koeberg, South Africa. She informs us of a breaking development—a proposed law in Parliament that will ban anyone born prior to 1950 from the popular beaches of Cape Town.
There are several reasons for this proposal. For one thing, reports Burdett, the law’s backers point out that old people have wrinkled skin and don’t need to get any more sun. Also, their bodies are unsightly in swimwear. And if that’s not enough, senior citizens generally aren’t very good swimmers.
Continuing her report, Burdett notes, however, that if the law is passed, the government will provide elderly people with their own separate beach in Koeberg, which is also home to a nuclear power testing ground.
We cut away from the report to a sobering super against a black background that simply reads, "If you don’t believe this can happen, visit the Apartheid Museum."
Entitled "Koeberg," this is one of four similarly themed PSAs currently airing in South Africa. The campaign was directed by Clive Will of Velocity Afrika, Johannesburg and Cape Town, for TBWA Gavin Reddy, Johannesburg. (Will is repped stateside by Crossroads Films, bicoastal and Chicago, which has a reciprocal representation/production support relationship with Velocity Afrika.)
The other spots for the Johannesburg-based Apartheid Museum also feature reporter Burdett. She tells us of plans to bar redheads from public transportation because they have fiery, out-of-control tempers, women from swimming pools because they should be in the kitchen or having babies, and short people from normal schooling because they have low intelligence and are capable of performing only menial tasks. However, separate facilities and services will be provided in each case for these unfortunate groups.
The creative ensemble at TBWA Gavin Reddy consists of creative director/copywriter Damon Stapleton, art director Minky Stapleton and producer Helen D’Hotman.
Velocity proprietor Barry Munchick served as executive producer on the campaign. Producer was Boris Vossgatter. Director Will also served as DP on the commercials, which were lensed at various locations in and around Cape Town. The spots were edited by Willie Saayman of City Cuts, Johannesburg.
