TV Commercial Features Helen O'Grady PE Boy!

"PE firm’s homegrown ad graces TV screens"
The Herald 2010/07/22 Luyolo Mkentane

GIG DOESN’T BYTE... Axxess DSL managing director Andrew Simpson and marketing director Alexa Cunningham get acquainted on the Donkin Reserve with Gig, the star of their television advert, which was filmed in Port Elizabeth. Picture: FREDLIN ADRIAAN


PORT Elizabeth production companies have proved they can compete with the so-called big-time production companies of Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Port Elizabeth-based Axxess DSL, the third biggest internet service provider in the country, used local companies in making a television commercial which was shot at three locations, including a “perfect house” in Adcockvale, about three weeks ago.
Rooftop Productions managing director Richard Ahlfeldt said the production was done entirely with local people – and the four actors, ad agency Boomtown and production crew were all from the Bay.
Alexa Cunningham, marketing manager of Axxess DSL, which owns the naming rights to the Axxess DSL St George’s cricket ground, said the TV commercial was centred on a family known as “The Snymans” and a bright orange character known as “The Axxess DSL Gig”. The advert illustrated what an ADSL internet user could get when purchasing one gig of data.
Ahlfeldt says in the advert the Gig character is seen helping the Snymans’ daughter with her school project and the father with internet banking.
“The Gig character kind of represents what you can do with the internet, as a lot of people don’t understand how it works and what they can do with a gig,” he said.
Cunningham said the advert had first been screened on Sunday across various DStv and SABC channels and during M-Net’s popular Idols show.
“When we made the decision to take our very first television commercial to market, we had to be 100% certain the concept tied into that of our business. Our main priority was that we wanted the television advert to be 100% proudly PE ... We engaged with locally owned advertising agency Boomtown Strategic Brand Agency,” Cunningham said. The agency had come up with the concept of the TV commercial and “we were instantly blown away”.
They then approached Rooftop Productions, which brought the advert to life “with the calibre of cast and crew”.
Boomtown managing director Neil Hart said it was a great project for their creative staff to “sink their teeth into”.
“Being involved in the making of the Axxess DSL TV commercial gave us a unique opportunity to demystify this market and create an idea which could be easily translated to the consumer,” said Hart.
Ahlfeldt said being involved in producing a TV commercial locally “has always been a dream for our company”. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be involved in the development of our local film industry, and to produce a commercial on this scale with all local talent has been a great experience.”
He said PE had the resources to produce a TV commercial of international standard.
Cunningham said the response to the ad had been astounding. “The calls have been flooding in (from clients) and our website has never been busier, all thanks to the proudly Port Elizabethan and world- class talent which is showcased in our advert.”