We happen to be in contact with the black market on all levels, be it in the townships, taxi ranks or in the surburbia. We all understand that our languages have now been spiced with English but purposely getting a voice artist to read a script of a language they do not speak is a great insult. We regulary hear radio advertisements carrying voices of for instance non-Sotho speaking voices. I ask myself whether it is because the white LSM 12 radio producer does not care or the black audio director or producer purposely trashes our black languages because they want to be accepted by their white counterparts? I wonder if they have realised that the ad agency's client has changed colour and that he or she might be very proud of their languages.
It is the duty of the Creative Director to make sure that they keep the accounts and the money by making sure that quality advertisements are produced for the black market. (This market's tastes and spending patterns might have altered because of many factors but we still appreciate proper language especially for radio.) I also believe that ad agencies should start employing producers who at least understand one black language and a bit of black culture. Otherwise they will not add value to the agency.
I think the route for agencies to go is to sub-contranct small black and able agencies to produce appropriate black advertisements on their behalf.
Half the time these white producers decide on which black freelance producer or audio director they want to work with on their own accord (whether they get a kick-back incentive or not) but do their bosses know who they work with and whether these freelancers add value to the advertisements.
This letter should serve as a wake-up call to the whole advertising industry.
I would like to hear what others think.
