KOO helps mom come put silver lining around her family’s ‘ku-rough’ day

A new television commercial from FCB Joburg for Tiger Brands flagship, KOO, highlights why it is not only the country’s favourite tinned food brand¹, it also leads the Top 10 pack of South Africa’s favourite brands.

Tiger Brands Marketing Director, Janet Scott briefed the FCB Joburg team of Creative Director Greg Cameron, Art Director Luzuko Witbooi and Copywriter Sandile Hamilton to develop a new campaign led by a TV spot that would strengthen the bond that exists between South Africans and KOO.

“Simply put, we tasked the agency to dial up the emotion and connection that South Africans feel for KOO,” she said.

The agency responded with ‘ku-Rough’, a campaign acknowledging that, while every KOO mom (or dad) wants to do the best for her family every second of every day, she can’t control the ‘ku-Rough’ that might happen when they’re out from under her wings. However, after a long challenging day, the one thing we can always count on is the love we receive at home from mom, our family and a deliciously tasty meal from KOO.

“ku-Rough is a slang word derived from the Zulu ‘ku’ and English ‘rough’. It’s used to convey an emotion and a situation,” explained Cameron. “It’s the way you feel when unexpected things happen to inconvenience you; it’s how you describe a day in which things happen to cause you loss of joy. The TVC shows family members having moments of ‘ku-Rough’ – there’s an incident with dad and the taxi door and the daughter with her shattered mobile phone screen. The anecdote for ‘ku-Rough’ is a meal cooked with love and KOO,” he said.

“I go all out for my family, I never compromise, cause out there ku-rough’’ mom says before confidently walking into the dining room with the meal she has lovingly and confidently prepared. It’s obvious how much the family relies and appreciates her, and how much she relies and trusts KOO to help her lift their ‘ku-Rough’ spirits.

The 20-second TVC driving the campaign was shot by Star Films over two days in Newtown and Bryanston. It is currently running on various SABC, ETV and DSTV channels.

KOO is known as a rainbow brand for a Rainbow Nation – reflecting the flavours and tastes of our diverse country from Die Bloukrans to Boksburg, from Soweto to Sandton, from Thabanchu to Mafikeng, from Cape Town to Chatsworth, from KwaMashu to Makhadu.

For nearly 80 years, KOO has been part of South African society, from birthdays, funerals, parties, holidays and mid-week dinners. KOO is a kitchen icon with an unrivalled reputation for delivering quality, taste and flavour, with a range of household favourites from the best Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce to spicy Chakalaka, Fruit Cocktail and Peaches.

Credits:

Client: Tiger Brands

Brand: KOO

Marketing Director: Janet Scott

Marketing Manager: Lauren Burmeister

Creative agency: FCB Joburg

Group Account Director: Bronwyn Simons

Chief Creative Officer: Ahmed Tilly

Creative Director: Greg Cameron

Copywriter: Sandile Hamilton

Art Director: Luzuko Witbooi

Strategic planner: Sihle Dlamini