24 November, 2017 - 08:11
Absa intends boosting card usage over cash with a new campaign from FCB Joburg that utilises television, radio, out-of-home, digital, social and internal communications.
Swiiish', which features a protagonist who enters the lives of people paying with cash to question that foolhardiness at various points-of-sale, takes its strategic direction from the platform Anything cash can do, your Absa card can do better'.
But, rather than fall back on the Anything you can do, I can do better' ditty made famous (at least in the westernised, English-speaking world in the 1950s musical Annie Get Your Gun ), the creative treatment is quintessential modern South African - as it should well be.
Not only does the campaign use a very colloquial piece of music specifically created to resonate with South Africans living in our dynamic and culturally diverse society, it includes some great characterisation and a hand movement that could well make its way into popular culture.
The strength of this campaign is twofold. Firstly, it's messaging is straightforward and easy to understand. Second, it is strongly rooted in South African insights and truths, thereby appealing to Absa's diverse but truly local market, said Manager for Integrated Marketing Campaigns, Bertus van der Walt.
Created by Executive Creative Director Gareth Paul, with creative direction by Loyiso Twala and Greg Russell, art direction from Thandeka Gilbert and copywriting from Boniso Modise, Siyabonga Moloi and Sifiso Ndhlovu, elements of the campaign broke on September 26.
The TVC flighted for the first time on October 15, and the campaign will continue to roll-out through mid-December.
With 65% of all transactions in South Africa still done in cash, Absa wanted to get their customers to pay with their card more often than with cash, said Paul.
The reasons for a consumer to adopt this behaviour are simple and logical - you earn rewards when you swipe, it's faster when you Tap and Pay, it's safer than carrying cash, you can track your spend on the Absa app, and it's more convenient.
But, if not delivered in an engaging manner, even the best of reasons could be a turn-off.
South Africans are not boring people, so we gave them an energetic and engaging musical that's 100% Mzansi with the assistance of Tigerfight and Bomb Production.
At FCB Africa, we pride ourselves on consistently delivering work that touches the hearts and souls of ordinary South Africans while helping our clients to achieve their business objectives. I'm certain Swiiish' will meet the grade, he said.
Credits:
Our film season is here. Are you ready?
Select your Membership
Client: Absa Card
General Manager - Retail Bank: Marketing Retail and Business Banking Yolande Steward
Manager - Integrated Marketing Campaigns Bertus van der Walt
Creative agency: FCB Joburg
Business Unit Director: Alan Schreiber
Executive Creative Director: Gareth Paul
Creative Director: Loyiso Twala, Greg Russell
Copywriter: Bonolo Modise
Art director: Thandeka Gilbert
Agency producer Barbara Clarke
Copywriters: Sifiso Ndhlovu, Siyabonga Moloi
Strategic planner: Jade Dos Santos, Antonio Petra
Media planners: Maxus
Music production Tigerfight
TV production: Bomb
Director: Tebogo Malope
Production house producer Marc Harrison
Editor: Evy Katz
Post production: Left and Fuel Content
NOTE TO EDITORS:
The benefits of using a credit card
If you are tempted by credit and can't be counted on to control your spending habits, then by all means, stick to cash.
However, if you are able to use your credit card like cash and pay off your balance at the end of every month, credit cards can offer some great benefits such as the rewards you can earn, the fact that using credit actually raises your credit score and the convenience factor.
Here's how you can reverse the flow of money and actually make some cash from your credit card:
Avoid interest and fees: Pay off your entire balance each month. This will keep you from paying any fees or interest (unless there is an annual fee.) If you are not paying any fees or interest, all the extra money you get from rewards is cash in your pocket.
Get the most from rewards: Pick rewards credit cards that make the most sense for your lifestyle. Make sure your credit cards are being used to get the maximum amount of rewards.
The Absa Rewards programme continues to provide our customers with superior value, differentiated by its simplicity and transparency.
Membership of the program has grown at a rate of 13.7%, reaching the 2 million mark in 2016.
Benefits earned are up 24%, in line with the objective of investing in customer relationships and resulting engagement.
Redemptions are up by 35%, which indicates engagement and active participation in the program.
Absa also launched a number of value added services during the last year, enhancing and differentiating product value propositions in the market. A number of new partners and value added services will be introduced in the fourth quarter this year to further differentiate our offering and build onto our customer relationships.
Raising your credit score
Many people don't realize this, but not using credit can dramatically hurt your credit score. Your credit score is mostly based on your credit history and how you utilize credit. If you don't have a history and don't use credit on a regular basis, there is nothing to base a score on, so your credit score will be pretty low.
Convenience
The convenience of being able to swipe your credit card instead of constantly running the ATM or having to count out the exact amount is pretty obvious. Many car rentals, hotels and airlines also won't take cash or even debit cards anymore.
Monthly budgeting made easier
T
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
24 November, 2017 - 08:11 
