Concept

 Note  for  a  National  Advertising  Campaign  to  Advance    

Education  and  Learning  in  South  Africa  
February  2015,  v.2    
 
 
Vision   and   Rationale:     We   seek   to   ignite   a   love   of   learning   throughout   South  
Africa   so   that   we   can   achieve   excellent   and   consistent   educational   outcomes   and  
build   the   foundation   for   a   stable,   economically   prosperous,   and   more   equal  
society.    We  can  achieve  this  through   a  national  advertising  campaign  aimed  at  
the   development   of   a   culture   of   learning   that   engages   all   South   Africans   within  
schools,   homes,   and   beyond.     With   broad   engagement   of   youth,   parents,   and  
caretakers,  a  love  of  learning  can  be  unleashed.    
 
 
We   believe   that   a   fundamental   paradigm   shift   amongst   South   Africans   regarding  
our   roles   in   education   and   learning   must   occur   if   our   country   is   to   realize   its  
potential   and   become   the   non-­‐racist,   non-­‐sexist,   democratic,   prosperous,   and  
united   country   envisaged   in   our   Constitution.     A   shift   in   mentality   that   results   in  
individual   and   collective   ownership   of   learning   and   a   love   of   learning   can  
improve   the   performance   of   the   education   sector   in   a   profound   and   enduring  
way.     Without   a   citizenry   that   can   be   economically   productive,   politically  
engaged,   innovative,   and   continually   learning   we   cannot   build   a   peaceful   and  
united   country   or   a   growing   economy   to   address   poverty,   unemployment,   and  
inequality.    Further,  South  Africa  will  remain  at  the  margins  of  the  international  
community.    This  is  what  is  at  stake  if  our  education  system  continues  to  fail.  
 
 
Background:    Who  We  Are  And  Why  We  Are  Initiating  This  Campaign    
Bridge:    Linking  Innovators  in  Education  (Bridge),  see,  http://www.bridge.org.za/    
is   a   South   African   non-­‐profit   organization   that   seeks   to   improve   education   by  
leveraging  our  collective  knowledge.    A  critical  part  of  the  problem  in  education  
in   South   Africa   is   that   stakeholders   do   not   sufficiently   share,   adapt,   and  
implement   what   works.     Bridge   brings   educators,   professionals,   and   interested  
parties  together  to  share  successful  practice  to  improve  the  education  system   in  
an  impactful,  lasting,  and  sustainable  manner.  
 
 
Within  Bridge  are  several  participants  who  are  eager  to  have  a  direct  and  broad  
impact  on  the  education  system.    These  participants  believe  that  a  variety  of  false  
notions   dominate   South   African’s   perceptions   about   education   and   learning.    
From   their   desire   to   be   involved   and   take   action   as   a   collective,   the   messaging  
sub-­‐committee  of  Bridge  emerged.  
 
 
Our  Role  in  Developing  and  Implementing  a  National  Campaign  
Bridge,   through   a   project   manager,   would   be   responsible   for   quality   control,  
influencing  content,  and  overseeing  the  process  to  ensure  that  development  and  
implementation  are  consistent  with  the  objectives  of  the  campaign.      
 
Objectives  
 
Ø Change  attitudes,  change  conduct  
 
o Changing  parent/caretaker  attitudes  from  “I  have  no  role  to  play”  
to  “I  will  make  a  difference”  
 
o Changing  parent/caretaker  behaviour  from  “I  will  not  engage”  to  
“I  will  engage  everyday”  
 
o Changing  youth  attitudes  from  “it’s  just  school”  to  “it’s  my  life”  
 
o Changing  youth  behaviour  from  “reading  is  for  school”  to  “I  read  
all  the  time”  
 
o Creating  community  ownership  of  education  
 
Ø Educated  or  not  you  have  a  role  to  play  in  education.    Everyone  has  a  
role  to  play  in  education.    Not  just  government’s  role.    There  is  potential  
everywhere.  
 
o Link  to  the  Preamble  to  the  South  African  Constitution,  No.  108  of  
1996,  “[W]e,  the  people  of  South  Africa,  recognise  the  injustices  of  
our  past;  .  .  .  .  We,  therefore,  through  our  freely  elected  
representatives,  adopt  this  Constitution  as  the  supreme  law  of  the  
Republic  so  as  to  -­‐-­‐  .  .  .  Improve  the  quality  of  life  of  all  citizens  
and  free  the  potential  of  each  person.    (Emphasis  added)  
 
o Link  to  the  National  Development  Plan  
 
o Link  to  the  legislative  framework  and  government  agenda.  
 
Ø Re-­‐engage  the  parents,  caretakers;  re-­‐empower  them  
 
o Everyone’s  responsible  
 
o Must  be  community  wide  engagement  for  impact  and  
sustainability  
 
Ø Maths  not  as  a  subject  but  as  a  thinking  process  for  problem  solving  
 
o Getting  to  the  solution  is  important  
 
o But  the  process  is  important  
 
o Making  mistakes  along  the  way  is  good  

  2  
Must  haves  in  the  Campaign  
 
• Compelling,  attractive,  irresistible,  sexy  
 
o A  cigarette  brand  had  Joe  Camel.    Joe  Camel  was  highly  successful  
at  selling  cigarettes.    This  campaign  requires  messages,  images,  
champions,  and  approaches  with  this  level  of  success.  
 
• Inclusivity  
 
o Use  of  community  radio  
o Engagement  at  taxi  ranks  
 
• National  
 
• Multi-­‐media  
 
o Traditional  media  
o Social  media  
 
• Multi-­‐lingual  
 
o At  least  three  languages  
 
• Places  households  and  family  at  heart  of  learning  
 
o Perhaps  we  are  “Going  Back  to  Our  Future”  by  emphasising  
knowledge  at  home  and  in  families  and  with  parents  and  
grandparents  
 
• Inspires  
 
• Interactive  
o Seeks  ongoing  input  from  and  involvement  of  youth,  parents,  and  
caretakers  
 
• Deals  with  contextual  realities  
 
• Builds  social  capital  
 
• Uses  champions  and  role  models  
 
o Individuals  of  achievement,  South  African  and  others  who  can  
represent  the  campaign  and  inspire  
 

  3  
 o Choice  based  on  achievement,  what  the  person  stands  for,    social  
influence  amongst  different  sub-­‐groups  –  youth,  parents,  
caretakers  of  a  variety  of  races  
 
o Avoid  the  superficial  and  political  
 
• Grounded  in  South  Africa  
 
o What  is  unique  about  South  Africa  that  can  drive  the  campaign?  
 
o What  unites  us  as  South  Africans  that  can  drive  the  campaign?  
 
Our  Audience  and  Messages1:  
 
The   campaign   will   engage   youth,   parents,   and   caretakers   to   take   their   share   of  
responsibility  for  education  and  learning.  
 
Learners  are  not  sufficiently  engaged  in  the  learning  process.    Often  they  struggle  
materially.    Further,  most  do  not  know  what  educational  success  looks  like  (no  
role  models)  and  what  it  can  mean  for  them.    Parents  and  caretakers  are  also  not  
sufficiently   engaged   in   the   learning   process.     Most   South   Africans   believe   that  
schools   are   the   exclusive   place   of   learning   and   that   teachers   have   sole  
responsibility  for  teaching.    This  is  absolutely  false.    In  fact,  these  perceptions  are  
dangerous.     Without   appropriate   input   and   effort   from   learners,   parents,   and  
caretakers   it   will   be   impossible   for   educational   outcomes   in   South   Africa   to  
improve   broadly   and   consistently.     This   campaign   seeks   to   empower   youth,  
parents   and   caretakers   with   the   knowledge   of   the   essential   role   they   play   in  
learning.       Without   this   mental   change,   there   will   be   no   change   in   conduct  
regarding   learning   and   we   will   continue   to   suffer   the   consequences   of   poor  
educational  outcomes.  
 
Coupled  with  a  lack  of  understanding  of  the  role  of  community,  family,  and  youth  
in   education,   is   an   anti-­‐intellectualism   in   South   Africa   that   further   undermines  
learning.    South  Africa  does  not  have  a  culture  of  learning  or  reading.    Learning  
and   reading   are   not   generally   valued   throughout   our   society.     As   a   result,   we  
remain   in   a   vicious   cycle   of   generally   inadequate   achievement   educationally.     To  
break  the  cycle,  a  paradigm  shift  and  then  a  shift  in  action  are  required.  
 
There   have   been   piecemeal   educational   campaigns.     There   has   never   been   a  
coordinated,   national,   professional,   compelling,   multi-­‐media,   multi-­‐lingual,  
multi-­‐year   campaign   such   as   the   one   proposed   here.   Consequently,   previous  
campaigns   have   not   accomplished   much.     For   example,   previous   literacy  
campaigns  have  been  limited  to  traditional  print  media  –  which  means  that  they  
have  excluded  those  not  reading  –  the  very  audience  they  were  trying  to  reach!    
                                                                                                               
1  See  Appendix  1,  Notes  from  the  Sub-­‐Committee  on  ideas  that  could  become  

messages  for  the  campaign.  

  4  
These   campaigns   have   not   been   compelling   or   memorable.     The   campaigns   were  
passive   and   did   not   seek   interaction   with   their   target   audience.     The   campaign  
proposed   here   would   not   be   so   restrictive.   By   being   edgy,   attractive,   multi-­‐
media,   multi-­‐lingual,   and   multi-­‐year   our   campaign   can   have   the   positive,  
sustained  impact  we  seek.  
 
 
Stakeholders  

Who   Why  are  you  focusing  on  this   Why   What  would  the  
stakeholder  group?   would   engagement  
they  want   outcome  be  in  
to  engage   tangible  terms?  
with  you?  
Primary  Stakeholders  
Caretakers/Parents     They  are  key  influencers  in  the   They  want    Engaging  their  
  lives  of  youth.       their   children  everyday:  
– Family     children  to    
educational   The  education  system  will  NOT   succeed.     What  did  you  learn  
values,   succeed  without  their  cooperation.         in  school  today?    
perceptions     They  want    
of  maths  and   DBE  and  teachers  ALONE  cannot   a  better  life   Show  me  the  
science   improve  education  fundamentally   for   homework  that  you  
and  sustainably.       themselves.   will  do  today.    
 
     
– Community  
Need  to  create  a  culture  of   They  want   Show  me  the  
ownership  of   learning  and  a  love  of  reading.   a  better   homework  after  
education   This  requires  engaging  caretakers   country.   you  finish.  
  and  parents.    
Share  with  me  
something  that  you  
learned  today.    
 
Read  with  your  
child  (even,  
perhaps,  especially,  
if  you  are  illiterate)  
 
Empowers  them  to  
take  an  active  role  
in  the  lives  of  their  
children.    
 
Indicates  to  
children  that  they  
are  cared  for  and  
what  they  do  or  do  
not  do  matters.    
Prioritises  learning  
over  chores.  
 
Engaging  schools:    
Going  to  schools  

  5  
 and  seeing  that  
they  are  open  on  
time,  for  a  full  day,  
and  that  teaching  is  
taking  place.      
 
Empowers  them.    
They  are  the  
“consumer.”    The  
schools  should  
work  for  them.    
Should  not  be  
dismissed  by  
teachers  and  
principals.    Must  
shift  this  power  
imbalance.    
 
Youth     Youth  should  be  the  primary   They  want   Will  engage  with  
  beneficiaries  of  education.       a  better  life   caretakers/parents  
Taking  responsibility     for   as  indicated  above.  
for  themselves   Education  should  enable  youth  to   themselves.    
  be  literate  and  numerate,  think     Will  read  beyond  
critically,  make  decisions   They  want   school.  
Reading  everyday     independently,  live  and  work  with   a  better  
  others,  and  learn  throughout  life.       country.  
 
Education  should  also  enable  
youth  to  be  personally  fulfilled,  
curious,  creative,  and  
economically  productive.  
Secondary  Stakeholders/Partners  
National   ESSENTIAL.    Must  partner  with   They  want    
Government   government  to  succeed  and  get   success  at  a  
their  buy-­‐in  and  support.   systemic  
  level  in  an  
Deputy  President  Cyril  Ramaphosa   impactful,  
has  begun  to  focus  on  the   sustainable  
importance  of    reading  in  his   way.  
public  interactions.    
This  
campaign  
does  not  
blame  
anyone.      
 
This  
campaign  
seeks  to  
empower  
youth  and  
parents/  
caretakers.  

  6  
  
The  
campaign  
stresses  
how  
important  
teaching  
and  
learning  is.  
 
The  
campaign  
supports  
the  work  
that  
teachers  do  
everyday.  
 
Provincial   ESSENTIAL.    Must  partner  with   See  above   TBD  
Government     government  to  succeed  and  get  
their  buy-­‐in  and  support  
Brand  South  Africa     A  potential  partner  to  brainstorm   Part  of   TBD  
with.   branding  
the  country  
is  branding  
our  talent.      
Brand  
South  
Africa  has  
an  interest  
in  this  
campaign  
that  seeks  
to  unleash  
South  
African  
talent.  
Continental  Media     A  potential  partner.   To  have  a   TBD  
  broad  
The  company  specialises  in   based  
outdoor  media.   societal  
  impact.  
 
Rock  City   Suné Stassen To  leverage   TBD  
Foundation  (Cape   Creative Director the  work  
Town)   ROCK CITY FOUNDATION that  they  
F 021 461 4152 T +27 0881 422 already  do  
428 C +27 84 623 2466
A  potential  partner.  
 
Rock  City  is  a  design  consultancy  that  
focuses  on  Early  Childhood  
Development.  

  7  
  
BusFin  Consulting   Kammy  Naidoo   TBD   TBD  
(Marcomms  Project   knaidoo@busfinconsulting.co.za  
Management  and    
delivery  -­‐  Gauteng)     A  potential  partner  recommended  
by  Chantal  Kotze  
 
 
 
Scope  of  Work:    What  Bridge  Expects  An  Advertising  Agency  to  Deliver  
 
• Develop  a  creative  strategy  for  a  pilot  initiative  
• Develop  campaign  options  based  on  achievement  of  objectives  
• Outline  a  budget  to  develop  and  implement    
• Compete  with  other  advertising  agencies  to  be  lead  in  the  implementation  of  the  
national  campaign  
• Develop  a  media  plan  (Platforms,  Channels,  etc.)  
• Jointly  develop  content  with  Bridge  
• Negotiate  relevant  partnerships  at  an  implementation  level  
• Monitor  and  evaluate  the  process  

 
 
Budget  
 
Development  of  the  creative  strategy       R250,000  to  R300,000  
              Based  on  22  days  per  month  
              8  hours  @  R1,000  per  hour  
              over  two  months  
 
 
Project  Manager             R64,000  per  month  
              Based  on  R1,000  per  hour  
              64  hours  per  month  
 
 
Timelines  
Once  we  have  raised  sufficient  funds,  we  would  like  an  ad  agency  to  develop  the  
creative  strategy  and  campaign  options  immediately.  
 
 
Requirements  
Submit  a  proposal  and  budget  
 
   
Point  of  Contact  
Project  Manager  at  Bridge:      x  
 
   

  8  
Appendix  1:    Notes  From  the  Messaging  Sub-­‐Committee  
 
The  content  below  emerged  from  the  first  meeting  of  the  sub-­‐committee  held  in  
November  2013.    We  share  it  as  an  appendix  to  the  Concept  Note  to  guide,  but  
not  dictate,  to  advertising  agencies.  
 
Below  are  ideas  that  we  developed  that  could  be  transformed  into  messages  that  
could  create  the  core  of  the  national  campaign.    We  seek  the  input  of  the  experts  
to  advise  us  on  how  these  ideas  can  become  compelling  messages  to  achieve  the  
objectives  that  we  seek.    We  also  seek  further  creative  input  from  the  advertising  
agencies  that  go  beyond  these  ideas.      
 
 
 
Key  Education  Messages  and    
Four  Potential  Messaging  Campaigns  
 
 
These  notes  are  from  the  first  meeting  of  the  messaging  sub-­‐committee  of  Bridge  
held  on  21  November  2013    
 
 
Four  Potential  Messaging  Campaigns  
 
In  our  meeting,  the  following  ideas  were  discussed.    We  look  forward  to  further  
consultation  with  the  members  of  Bridge  

1.              Problem:    Young  people  feel  entitled  to  instant  success;  wrongly  believe  
that  success  is  an  event,  not  a  process;  and  wrongly  believe  that  there  is  no  
working  one’s  way  up,  but  that  you  get  the  “top  job”  right  from  getting  a  
credential.  

Potential  Campaign:    What  was  your  first  job?    Show  young  people  that  
success  is  a  process  and  that  even  if  your  first  job  is  not  in  your  chosen  field,  you  
can  enter  that  field  later  and  skills  in  the  first  job  are  transferable.    Ask  well-­‐
established,  successful,  and  well-­‐known  South  Africans:    1)What  was  your  first  
job?  2)  What  did  you  learn  from  that  experience?    For  example,  the  late  Chief  
Justice  of  South  Africa,  Pius  Langa  started  work  in  a  shirt  factory.  
2.              Problem:    Trades,  artisanship,  blue-­‐collar  jobs,  and  working  with  one’s  
hands  all  have  bad  images.    Yet,  these  jobs  provide  meaningful  work  with  dignity  
that  can  enable  youth  to  become  productive  and  self-­‐sustaining  members  of  
society.  
Potential  Campaign:    Master  your  fate.    Promote  the  master  artisan  and  
master  craftsperson  trades.    This  is  consistent  with  the  language  of  that  world  
where  phrases  used  are    "master  and  apprentice"  and  "master  artisan."      Having  
mastery  -­‐-­‐  personal,  self,  and  professional  mastery  –  is  powerful  and  resonates  
with  people.  

  9  
 3.              Problem:  Many  young  people  disrespect  their  parents  (grandparents,  
caretakers)  because  they  were  not  educated.      
Potential  Campaign:    Family  History  of  Education.    The  idea  here  is  to  
launch  a  campaign  of  successful  people  who  indicate  that  they  were  first  
generation  formally  educated  and  yet  they  respected  elders  who  were  not  so  
educated.    Ask  them:    1)  what  is  the  educational  background  of  your  parents  or  
the  people  who  raised  you?    2)  why  do  you  respect  them?  

4.              Problem:    Teaching  profession  has  a  negative  image.  

Potential  Campaign:    Teachers  Worthy  of  Respect.    Ask  successful  people  
to  name  teachers  that  they  respect  and  why  to  improve  image  of  the  profession  
and  highlight  positive  people  in  the  profession  and  the  traits  that  are  worth  
emulating  by  other  teachers.    Ask  them:    1)  what  teacher  did  you  most  respect?    
2)  why?      

 
Ideas  that  may  become  messages  
Shaded  areas  indicate  receivers  for  each  message.    
 
Message    and  intended  recipients     Learners     Teachers     Parents    
Reading  everyday  is  essential                  
Writing  everyday  is  essential                  

 
Reading   with  your  children  everyday  will  create  life  long  learners                        
Reading  with  your  learners  everyday  will  create  life  long  learners                  
I  read  with  my  children  even  though  I  am  not  a  reader                  
Let  your  children  read  the  story  to  you                

       
 Learners  can  teach                  
Teachers  can  learn  (NB:  be  careful  not  to  undermine  teachers)                
Parents  can  learn                

       
 Hard  work  makes  you  smarter                

 
You   can  be  good  at  something                

 Quality  time  with  your  family  will  help  you  all  learn              

 Meal  time  can  be  quality  time                

 
Start   where  you  are                
Baby  steps  also  count              
Perseverance  is  key                  

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Whatever  it  is  that  you  are  doing,  be  the  best  that  you  can  be              
Failure  is  a  part  of  success                
Failure  is  part  of  learning                  
Failure  is  temporary                  
You  only  fail  if  you  quit                  
Being  wrong  is  part  of  success                  
Accepting  that  you  can  be  wrong  is  part  of  success                  
It  is  hard  to  learn  if  you  are  not  willing  to  be  wrong                  

       
 Asking  questions  is  good                        
Asking  questions  is  how  you  learn                
By  asking  questions  we  mean  asking  questions  of  yourself  and  
of  others  
     
       
 Learning  is  instinctive                      
Learning  is  natural                  

       
 Learning  is  inherently  valuable                      
Learning  is  valuable  to  achieve  other  ends                  

       
 To  understand  most  of  the  information  on  the  internet        
requires  you  to  be  able  to  read  and  think                  

       
 Being  smart  is  the  way  for  all  of  us  to  build  South  Africa        
together                  

       
 Being  smart  is  essential  for  us  to  participate  in  a  democracy                        

       
 If  we  are  not  educated,  South  Africa  will  not  fulfil  its  potential                        

       
 If  I  am  not  educated,  I  cannot  fulfil  my  potential                      
   
       

   Learners      Teachers      Parents    

I     speak  excellent  English  and  I  speak  excellent  Sesotho  (other  
language)                  

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 Speaking  excellent  English  does  not  make  me  White                  
We  should  speak  all  of  our  languages  well                  

       
 Schools  belong  to  the  entire  community                        
Schools  should  be  safe  for  everyone                  
Both  boys  and  girls  should  be  treated  with  respect                  
Both  boys  and  girls  should  be  treated  with  respect  at  school;  
By  teachers  /By  other  students              
Teachers  should  be  treated  with  respect  at  schools                  

       
 Homework  is  just  as  important  as  chores                      

       
 
Parents   are  essential  to  student  success  even  if  the  parent  is  not        
educated  (parents)              
 
Parents  even  though  I  don’t  understand  my  children’s  homework,  I  
ask  my  children  about  what  they  learn  every  day    
   
   
       
 Explore  what  you  love                        
Explore  what  inspires  you                  

         
 
 
 

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