Yebo Gogo strikes again

The 15th Vodacom 'Yebo Gogo' commercial began airing this month with the express intention of giving South Africa's sports fans a resounding pat on the back for their commitment to the country's national teams. It also highlights Vodacom's support for rugby and soccer with its investment in South Africa's national rugby and soccer teams as well as the Blue Bulls, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and the Soccer World Cup 2010 bid.

The link between South Africa's passion for sport and Vodacom's core business is made clear: sport unites South Africans from all walks of life and Vodacom plays a supporting role by providing telecommunication access to 95% of all South Africans.

The new commercial features, as the 14 before it, the irrepressible Michael de Pina and worldly Bankole Omotso.

This time around, however, the two Vodacom stalwarts share the limelight in a Francois-de-Villiers (the FCB creative brain) epic shot in a barn stuffed with amaBokkebokke rugby fans and a minibus full of Bafana Bafana soccer supporters.

Executive creative director De Villiers is widely credited as the father of the 'Yebo Gogo' phenomenon. He and Vodacom's marketing partner, FCB Johannesburg, have worked on the Vodacom account since the cellular service provider begun advertising in 1995 and de Pina first blundered in front of the nation.

The ad is flighting on SABC 1, 2 and 3, eTV and M-Net as well as select DSTV channels. It was directed by Michael Middleton and produced by Peter Gird, both of Peter Gird Productions.