Retail Marketing News South Africa

TV foodies in Woolworths ad campaign

South African Justin Bonello and Australian Bill Granger have joined Woolworths on a Search for Good Food for an advertising campaign that will run until 24 October, 2010. They are travelling South Africa visiting Woolworths suppliers to focus on one the Woolworths "Good Food" initiatives.
Bill Granger (left) and Justin Bonello - on a search for good food, and by the looks of it, having a great time doing so.
Bill Granger (left) and Justin Bonello - on a search for good food, and by the looks of it, having a great time doing so.

You may have seen one of the colourful branded Land Rovers they used to criss-cross the country and which were featured in a "teaser" competition on Facebook and Twitter from 2 June to 4 August.

Readers of Woolworths TASTE magazine will be familiar with both Bill and Justin and their easy-going, no-nonsense approach to food. Both consider themselves "cooks", not "chefs", as they are both self-taught and love preparing uncomplicated food using the best quality ingredients. Both are passionate about good food and about knowing where their ingredients come from and that they're ethically produced.

Sustainable farming for the future

Their first stop was at one of Woolworths supplier farms in Limpopo where Woolworths sustainable Farming for the Future methods have been put into practice. Woolworths has pioneered the introduction of this approach to farming in South Africa. It focuses on improving soil and water quality, reducing water consumption and encouraging biodiversity - without adding to the cost that consumers pay, so that the country's farmers will be able to grow enough food in future.

Next up was a visit to a beautiful Ayrshire dairy farm in the Natal Midlands, just one of a handful of dairy farms supplying Woolworths with its exclusive Ayrshire milk. Here they saw at firsthand how contented cows produce the best quality milk.

Free-range cattle

Their third stop took them west across South Africa to Namibia, where Woolworths free-range beef is raised. The free-range cattle roam freely, grazing on natural vegetation with access to plenty of fresh water and are never treated with growth hormones or routine antibiotics.

The final stop on their Search for Good Food has Bonello and Granger preparing a real South African braai on a game farm.

The campaign began on 25 July and ends on 24 October.

All the TV ads will be backed by a full 360-degree marketing campaign, which includes inserts in The Sunday Times, in-store signage and plasma-screen messaging, a PR campaign and activity on social media sites.

Justin Bonello: As a presenter and producer of international hit television series Cooked, Getaway to Africa and Exploring the Vine, Justin Bonello has combined his three favourite things - Southern Africa, food and friends - into his daily work.

With his earliest kitchen memories dating back to his grandmother teaching him to make pancakes, to this day Justin will tell you he is not a chef, but a cook - "an average Joe with a passion for life, love, food and my friends."

If you've watched any of his Cooked TV series or read his best-selling book Cooked in Africa, you'll know how passionate he is about good food and good times. Go to www.cookedinafrica.com for more.

Bill Granger: Australian Bill Granger chef first started cooking professionally while at art school in Sydney, and opened his first, highly successful restaurant, bills, at the age of 22, in 1993. Two more Sydney restaurants followed (in 1996 and 2004) and in March 2008 the first bills outside Australia opened in Japan. Bill launched his debut television series, bills food, on The LifeStyle Channel in Australia in 2004. For more information go to www.bills.com.au/about.

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