Cadbury's tale of generosity aims to help improve literacy in South Africa

Cadbury is taking its global campaign centered around kindess and acts of generosity to South Africa, where its latest ad is part of a wider push centered around the country's problems with literacy. The campaign starts off with a new TV spot by VCCP London, depicting a little boy whose seemingly strict babysitter, Mrs. Mabena, tries to get him to read rather than play computer games. He seems to resent her efforts, but when his mother comes home and he realizes how grateful she is to the babysitter, he slips a bar of chocolate into Mrs. Mabena's handbag as a thank-you. The heartwarming spot, directed by Zee Ntuli via Darling Films and shot in Johannesburg, is part of a broader effort to address the fact that 9.6 million adults in South Africa are illiterate, and only 2% of books published there are in African languages. A consumer-driven activation, by partner agency Ogilvy South Africa, will encourage people to translate words into their own language, which will then be turned into chiildren's books by well-known South African authors. "We've all known a Mrs. Mabena, especially when we were kids," said Chris Birch, executive creative director at VCCP in a staement. "Seemingly stern on the outside, yet an absolute generous gem on the inside. We are extremely proud of this work and the goal to improve literacy in South Africa."

Cadbury's tale of generosity aims to help improve literacy in South Africa

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