Description
CHALLENGE
The challenge was to communicate the refreshed appeal of Wheel of Fortune South Africa, reintroducing the beloved TV show to a mass-market audience on the national broadcaster. The goal was to highlight how a single moment on Wheel of Fortune can change lives forever.
INSIGHT
In many South African communities, overnight success doesn’t just raise eyebrows but starts jealousy and gossip. When someone suddenly comes into money, people start talking. “Must be money snakes.” “Maybe they’ve got a wealth rat.” These aren’t just sayings; they’re real local myths used to explain sudden fortune. And instead of being celebrated, new success often comes with suspicion. We used this insight to build a story that would feel real, familiar, and just a little cheeky.
EXECUTION
We created a series of radio spots that leaned into those money myths. We let the neighbours speculate, the aunts whisper, and the community ask, “How did they get rich, though?” Then we revealed the truth: no snakes, no spells, and no secrets, but just one spin of the Wheel of Fortune.
To keep it authentically local, we partnered with beloved Maskandi artist Umlabalaba to create original tracks that told these stories the way only Maskandi can, with rhythm, humour, and a dose of raw honesty. Drawing on traditional Maskandi chords and storytelling techniques, Umlabalaba crafted songs that unpacked community envy, overnight riches, and that all-too-familiar feeling of “rich hate” when someone else’s win feels like your loss.
In the end, the campaign felt familiar but fresh. Funny but true. It spoke to a real tension in South African culture, flipped it, and made people see Wheel of Fortune as a legit, exciting, and proudly local way to strike it big.