Interestingly, the idea of a hero-athlete is not something we only see with the Olympic Games.

The Kolisi Foundation collaborates with KFC's Add Hope programme

Siya Kolisi, Springbok rugby captain, is probably the country’s favourite sporting hero – not only because of his leadership qualities but because of his all-around good guy persona.

It is more than just a show for the media and sponsors, though, because Kolisi has a way of infusing everything with sincerity.

I was reminded of this recently – after previously awarding him a few Orchids for his appearances in marketing executions – by an altogether more serious project he is involved in. 

He and his wife, Rachel, formed the Kolisi Foundation, determined to make life better for the kids who come from the same, poverty-stricken background as he does.

This July, the Kolisi Foundation partnered with KFC’s Add Hope programme, with every R2 donation from customers (with additional donations from the company) going directly to the foundation.

A moving TV ad to publicise the campaign is built around a play on words. 

‘Indlala’ is a Nguni term meaning hunger, but ‘dlala’ means play. 

The idea is that the R2 donation over the first word removes two letters and creates the latter, which is what Add Hope does – turns hunger into play.

Kolisi is a natural in front of the camera and one can almost feel his own journey from poverty to global recognition and the determination to help others.

It’s a simple ad but it makes a heart-warming point: You can’t manufacture the smiles of those kids, who are actual beneficiaries of the Add Hope programme, and get a vital daily meal. Reduce hunger and you increase the chances of these children getting a genuinely better life.

The children in the ad are all from Afrika Tikkun’s Wings of Life centre in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. 

So, the ad’s real – and so is the Add Hope concept which, since its establishment 15 years ago, has seen R1bn put into hunger relief (roughly 60% of the money comes from customer donations and the rest from KFC). 

That’s money that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. 

That’s hope that otherwise wouldn’t have been there.

Orchids, then, to Kolisi and the Kolisi Foundation, to Ogilvy Johannesburg (which conceptualised the ad) and to director Ernest Nkosi of Mogul Pictures. 

But most of all, an Orchid to KFC for caring enough to give back, what is a significant amount, to the future of young South Africans. 

This is the sort of corporate social investment that can make a genuine difference.

Nando’s forgets to put its money where its mouth is

By contrast, though, the Onion goes to what I think is cynical bandwagoning by Nando’s. 

The fast-food chain has, for years, been the top exponent of “reality advertising”, capitalising on events to punt the brand and make people laugh.

It was no different this week when Nando’s shot out of the blocks to post a meme about Tatjana Smith winning a gold medal.

“From Smith to Goldsmith”, it crowed. Ha ha ha.

Kolisi Foundation and Add Hope partnership turns hunger into play

4 Jul 2024

But it made me think of the comments by another gold-medal winner, Ryk Neethling, one of the SuperSport commentators on the Olympics, who bemoaned the fact that lack of sponsorship is holding back South Africa from becoming an even more powerful swimming nation.

I had a quick look at Swimming SA’s website – and, guess what? No Nando’s.

Cynical appropriation of a national hero like Smith (for free) to punt your brand is tasteless ambush advertising of the worst kind. 

So, you get an Onion, Nando’s.

If you want to see how it should be done, ask KFC.