--
Sharon Keith on what it takes to be a Rainbow Maker --
Tue, 04 Aug 2015 10:44
--
I know, let s make a rainbow!
Most people we know would shake their heads and roll their eyes. However good we might be, or even think we are, we know that we cannot control the weather. But there was one person who took the suggestion seriously, and the result is the now world famous Cannes-award winning Rainbow campaign for Coca-Cola Southern Africa.
Sharon Keith, marketing director of Coca-Cola Southern Africa, is the third person to be recognised as a Champion of Creativity by the Creative Circle this year; a status awarded to marketers who walk the creative talk, supporting creativity not only with their words but also through the campaigns that they push through bosses and boards, and unbendable budgets.
Keith has spent most of her marketing career in the drinks business, working with brands from Lipton and Frisco, to Fanta and Fresca, before she graduated to Bells, J&B, Captain Morgan, Smirnoff Vodka, Guinness and Baileys. And then back to Coca-Cola.
She might feel uncomfortable being called the Rainbow Maker, especially when she is the first person to give the credit to the creative team at FCB, but the reality is that without her support, the campaign would never have seen the light of day. Every creative team understands the importance of working with a client who not only appreciates creative thought, but also acknowledges that creativity isn t linear, and it often requires many iterations and do-overs and re-thinks to arrive at a workable solution.
Our education system tends to train us to come up with the right answer , which is the answer that everyone expects. Creativity, however, is unexpected by definition. It requires people to think differently to how they have been trained, and taught. As such, it is often incredibly difficult to support. It goes against the grain, against everything we know .
Therein, perhaps, lies the first step in what is takes to be a Rainbow Maker .
Understanding. Acknowledgement.
I understand that creativity is messy. But I also believe that creativity is fundamental to business success. If you re not reinventing yourself and your brands every single day, you re sliding backwards. And reinvention requires creativity, it requires thought that goes against the grain that surprises consumers who have - quite literally - seen and heard it all before.
In the 80s, while working at Unilever Lipton Foods, Keith engineered a promotion with Arnold Geerdts and the SABC for Frisco, which saw the breakfast show crew knocking on doors of unsuspecting consumers in the early morning to quiz them about Frisco, to stand the chance of winning the keys to a luxury Gypsy caravan!
It was early reality TV - getting past dogs and security systems was an exercise in creativity all on its own!
We received so many entries - via the postal service, this was a long time ago! that they filled an entire room. We could quite literally dive into them! she recalls.
Which brings us to the second step.
Courage. Conviction.
It requires enormous courage and conviction to think differently, especially when you know that you might not hit a home run every time, says Keith.
At this point, it is virtually impossible to not picture Larry, the Fresca brand ambassador. Remember Nuffin tastes like Fresca! It must have taken some cahones to push that idea through the ranks, a black guy with a British accent, to advertise a completely unknown brand into the South African market
Keith recently heard a radio interview with Hakeem Kae-Kazim, who played Larry, and he commented that he still can t escape the Larry persona, despite his subsequent Hollywood success - that is how South Africans remember him!
To be fair, I can t take the credit for this campaign, as I inherited and finessed it rather than originated the idea. But it was a brave idea, especially for its time, and in this place, says Keith.
Of course, it also takes courage to use an existing idea, especially in an industry that has a tendency to frown upon anything that isn t original!
The recent Share a Coke campaign, for example, was picked up by Keith and her team from Australia. FCB gave the idea a fun spin with its hugely popular Bobby spots, and the rest is history - the campaign has since been exported to over 90 countries around the world, and barely a day goes by without the team receiving a request for the ads!
Sometimes you have to get past the not invented here barrier, and instead apply the lens of what could we do with this? says Keith.
It goes without saying that this kind of courage is becoming increasingly important in the global village that we call home.
The most successful creative people I know don t always hit a home run, though. They are just nimble enough - and brave enough - to regroup when it isnt working and start again, says Keith.
In 2009, for example, when Keith headed up marketing for Baileys Irish Cream in Dublin and developed Baileys with a hint of flavour, her team developed a striking print and outdoor campaign called Listen to your lips . But, sadly, she explains, the TV didn t live up to the print, so they changed direction. That happens. A lot.
I think we need to reward people for courage - because it isn t easy to think different! she exclaims.
Relevance. Resonance. Reason.
That said, Keith is not advocating thinking differently just for the sake of thinking differently.
If we are talking about successful creativity, we can t afford to do think differently just for the sake of it. It has to be insight-driven and actionable. It has to address a business problem, or take advantage of a business opportunity, or it won t see the light of day, Keith warns.
Take the work she did on Captain Morgan Spiced Gold, with the Soweto Beach Parties,
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
-- 
