SHIFTY ARTISTS

A documentary using a chronology of the best of Nando’s edgy marketing campaigns to tell a whimsical, alternative socio-political history of South Africa.

Nando’s has lived through interesting times. Born in a particularly hectic time in SA history a few months post the 1986-87 State of Emergency, it became a toddler through the big changes of the early 1990’s, a precocious kid into the rainbow years, an engaged teenager into the naughties and an amiable cynic as the gravy train pulled into town – all this without loosing its optimism and wicked sense of humour. Archive footage, stills or cartoons contemporary to each campaign key the viewer into the vibe of the times, with the story being told by the relevant Nando’s personnel, independent experts and the industry creatives that came up with and guided the ideas.

Apart from the campaigns that feature political, cultural, or topical issues, Pluck also looks at how Nando’s has not shied away from some subjects that other brands would normally avoid like the plague – namely religion, sex and flirting with bad taste for effect. And occasionally they have got it wrong. Very!

This is arguably the only independent documentary ever made about one brand’s advertising. There’s a good reason for that – through humour and often at the expense of political correctness, these campaigns have managed to convey a sense of South Africans’ indomitable spirit and the uniqueness of their worldview.

A film by Lloyd Ross & Joëlle Chesselet | 2017 |
South Africa | 75 min