Yvonne Johnston was CEO of The InternationalMarketing Council (IMC ) for almost seven years. This Television Advertisement, made under her guidance in 2003, is still regarded as one of the finest and most memorable ever, celebrating the South African brand.
BRAND SOUTH AFRICA TV SCRIPT
TODAY I WOKE UP IN SOUTH AFRICA
We open on Nelson Mandela looking out of the bars of his cell and cut to a long shot of him standing on the beach of Robben Island. The very first rays of light are just beginning to break over the Cedarberg in the distance. We hear him speak
FORMER STATE PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA : Today I woke up in a place that said to me, “Be free!”
We cut to Zanele Situ (our first paralympic Gold medallist) holding a javelin proudly outside her house, with a medal round her neck.
ZANELE SITU : I woke up in a place that said, “Be what you want to be” I woke up to a dream….
We cut to a fairly wide shot of the Paralympian swimming gold medallist, Natalie du Toit, sitting on the edge of a swimming pool that is slowly becoming illuminated by the dawn rays. She is putting on her swimming cap, preparing to start her morning training.
NATALIE DU TOIT : And I realised that I’m stronger than I was yesterday
We cut to a small figure Jabbing and hooking with Boxing gloves on and we realise that it is Baby Jakes.
BABY JAKE MATLALA: I woke up in a place where it’s the size of your heart that counts, not your fists
We cut to a dusty road near a mine in Ermelo. There is lone figure running in the distance with the silhouette of a mine shaft breaking the horizon in the black blue light of dawn. We hear the voice of Josiah Thugwane.
JOSIAH THUGWANE : Because yesterday I was digging for gold, and today I am wearing it
We see Sam Motsuenyane standing in a burnt field…
SAM: Yesterday, I was burning with frustration…now I am growing big business
We cut to Zola 7 standing alone on an empty stage in the middle of an empty field as the sun begins to peak over the horizon.
ZOLA 7 : I woke up and realised that I don’t need a gun to make you listen
We cut to a rural village surrounded by magnificent rolling hills in Kwa-Zulu Natal, kissed by dawn’s first light. We see a woman working in a vegetable garden. She begins to speak.
ZULU WOMAN : And even if I have nothing, this place can give me everything,
We cut to Archbishop Desmond Tutu standing at God’s Window, looking out over the valley as the sun begins to rise.
ARCH BISHOP TUTU : All I need do is believe,
We cut an empty Ellis park at dawn. Just back from the 22m line we see the figure of Joel Stransky, clad in Springbok kit. He is drop-kicking, as he did in the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
JOEL STRANSKY : Today I woke up in a place whose cheering can be heard on the other side of the world.
JOMO SONO: We cut to Jomo Sono punching the air and doing a victory dance on an empty soccer field.
We cut to a hill in Kwa-Zulu Natal. As the light washes onto the golden grass, we see 2 figures doing a tribal Zulu dance in unison, one is black and the other white. It is Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu.
JOHNNY CLEGG: A place where my brother,
SIPHO MCHUNU : is my brother no matter what.
We cut to a shot of Hector Pietersen’s mother standing at his monument in Soweto. In the background we see the luminescence of first light washing over Orlando.
MRS PETERSON (HECTOR P’S MOM) : Today I woke up in a place that flows with courage
We cut to a lone road slicing through the arid Karoo landscape. We see David Kramer and two other artists playing blik guitaars.
DAVID KRAMER: That laughs,
We cut to a very old black man standing looking at Battle of Isandlwana grave stone in Natal. He is wearing a suit and holds his hat at his chest in homage. The dawn light is breaking and we hear him speak.
OLD MAN : That’s cried,
We cut to the rooftop of a block of flats in Hillbrow. We see a heavily pregnant woman putting up washing in the morning light. She stops, sees the sun peaking over the horizon, gives a little smile and we hear her voice.
MOTHER : That says, “It’s okay.”
We cut to another sweeping shot of Table Mountain and we see Abdullah Ibrahim sitting at a beautiful black grand piano. The rays are just beginning to touch the Flats and Abdullah is looking out over the land and sea. We hear him speak.
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM : Today I woke up in a place that sings with hope to the rest of the world.
We cut to President Mbeki standing in his garden, having a personal moment to himself before the day’s responsibilities begin. He is rolling his sleeves. He stops for a moment as the sun begins to peak over the mountain in the background. He smiles to himself proudly and sentimentally.
STATE PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI : and I smiled because South Africans are creating a new dawn every day
We cut to a majestic shot of amaMpondo standing high up on Cathedral Peak, arms stretched towards the heavens. We sweep down and around them, catching the virgin rays of the new day.
We see close-up of the flag flying. And hear the strains of Nkosi Sikelela in the background.
VO: Today, I woke up in South Africa. ALIVE WITH POSSIBILITY
South African Flag dissolves into: SOUTH AFRICA. ALIVE WITH POSSIBILITY.
