Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new — product, packaging, design, insight, food, décor and more!

• So Interactive demonstrates the Art of Fusion
• 1Life talks about male cancer with Comoonicate and Orange Ink
• Cruiseabout opens in Hyde Park

Fusing food and fun

The casual dining space in South Africa is cluttered with mediocre TVCs and badly executed food photography so, when So Interactive was given a brief by client Ocean Basket to make a new sushi offering really shine — and to use innovative media to do so — it decided to pull out all the stops.

According to Letitia Lerm, So Interactive creative director, while sushi is already a popular global form of delicate food art, Mediterrasian sushi is unique as it combines Asian and Mediterranean flavours to meet a variety of exotic palates: “It was important for us to give the viewer an experience beyond the copy and photography; to represent the sushi as a feast of flavours, enticing the heart and mouth to experience an all-round adventure.”

The idea was shaped into #TheArtOfFusion and the creative was born from there, using Facebook’s Canvas ad format as the main digital element to launch the campaign. “Facebook Canvas ads are new territory for local food brands. This campaign offered social media audiences a new and authentic visual experience, amplifying the impact of the beautiful imagery and video content,” says Lerm.

The art direction of the photography is intended to capture the essence of food art at its finest and to push the boundaries beyond the scope of previous Ocean Basket campaigns. This has led the way into unchartered territory, resulting in a positive cross-platform rollout, which includes carousel advertising and the full spectrum of social media interfaces. Accompanied by clever descriptors and fun emoticon explanations for some of the original Japanese sushi names, the campaign has been transferred to the big screen, flighting in cinemas around South Africa.

Full disclosure: Cheryl Hunter does PR for So Interactive.

sointeractive.co.za • Facebook • Twitter • Ramify
oceanbasket.com • Facebook • Twitter

1Life’s Movember campaign

Financial services provider, 1Life, has launched a Movember campaign which encourages male cancer survivors to share their journeys; the aim is to remove the stigma attached to the disease and create a platform for other men to better understand it.

Says Laurence Hillman, 1Life CEO, “There is a collective understanding that South African men who have contracted such cancers, testicular cancer in particular, prefer not to talk about it, yet through sharing one’s knowledge, experience and journey to recovery — coming together as males — support networks could be formed, encouraging others to get tested, look out for signs, and to live healthier lifestyles.”

The 1Life campaign, created in-house at 1Life and supported by digital and PR agencies Comoonicate and Orange Ink, sought out three male cancer survivors who have openly shared their journeys and experiences with the brand’s social media and blog followers, encouraging conversation about the topic and increasing awareness. Digital marketer Cameron Green, firefighter Timothy Hart and entrepreneur David Lucas talk about getting tested, survival rates, symptoms and seeking help.

“These men are helping to raise awareness, helping other men to get diagnosed and treated early. 1Life’s ethos is to change lives and we hope that, through this campaign, we are able to make a difference to the lives of South African men.”

1life.co.za/blog/movember-cancer-survivors • Facebook • Twitter
comoonicate.co.za • Facebook • Twitter

Cruising into Hyde Park

Specialist cruise retailer Cruiseabout, a member of the Flight Centre Travel Group, has launched its 12th store in Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg, bringing local shoppers dream cruises and expert advice.

Antoinette Turner, Cruiseabout (SA) brand leader and emerging markets, says, “As a growing brand we have expanded our national footprint. We are very selective when searching for locations for our brand and opening a store in Hyde Park matched the customer segmentation with the product we provide. Hyde Park is destined to become one of our flagship stores in the near future. This is a testament to the popularity of cruise holidays amongst South African travellers.”

According to Turner, consultants are able to offer advice on all aspects of cruising, from finding a cruise liner that suits your specific needs to the highlights of each region, or what activities are featured on board each ship: “We have access to all of the latest cruise deals, discounts and savings in the travel industry, including flights and transfers which guarantee fantastic package options.”

cruiseabout.co.za • Facebook • Twitter

Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things new. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.

Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.

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