The City Lodge Hotels campaign, "Reusable Ads," leverages a strategic approach to emphasize the brand’s core value proposition: providing accessible, timely opportunities for South Africans to take a break and escape everyday pressures. By focusing on relatable moments when people seek relief—whether from extreme weather or post-holiday work fatigue—the campaign positions City Lodge as a reliable, year-round destination that understands and responds to the evolving needs of its audience.
The campaign’s market strategy is anchored in agility and cultural relevance, using real-time social and traditional media listening to identify trending topics and national conversations. This insight-driven tactic enabled the creative team to dynamically rewrite and repurpose three core silent, subtitle-driven films, allowing them to comment on current events and social sentiments as they unfolded. This approach not only extended the lifecycle of the original content but also maintained brand presence at the pace of trending conversations, enhancing engagement through topicality and humor without relying on verbal dialogue. The use of nonverbal narrative combined with witty subtitles broadens appeal by cutting through language barriers and allowing the audience to project their own experiences onto the ads. Overall, the campaign reflects an adaptive digital content strategy tailored to the hospitality and tourism sector’s challenges during the post-pandemic recovery, reinforcing City Lodge Hotels’ relevance and accessibility within a dynamic social context.
FORMAT#2 SHOW THE PROBLEM — Highlights a relatable problem, then shows the product as the solution.
This campaign fits the "Show the Problem" format because each film humorously depicts a familiar, culturally relevant reason why someone would need a break from everyday stress—such as sweltering heat waves or returning to work post-holidays—without the use of spoken dialogue, relying on subtitles to carry the narrative. Each ad spotlights a current or trending problem faced by the audience, and positions City Lodge Hotels as the practical solution or respite, encouraging viewers to “take a break.” The adaptive nature of the campaign—rewriting films in response to social issues—further reinforces the approach of surfacing the audience’s lived problems and promptly matching them to the hotel’s offering.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Protea Hotels by Marriott – Known for their extensive footprint across South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, Protea Hotels position themselves as reliable, comfortable, and accessible midscale accommodations with a focus on local culture and authentic African experiences, appealing to both business and leisure travelers seeking consistency and quality within a recognized global brand network.
2. Sun1 Hotels – Positioned as budget-friendly and convenience-focused, Sun1 Hotels cater primarily to price-conscious travelers and business professionals needing clean, functional, and no-frills accommodation near transport hubs and city centers, emphasizing accessibility and affordability without compromising essential comfort.
3. Road Lodge (part of Tsogo Sun) – Marketed as an economy hotel brand providing safe, comfortable, and affordable accommodation for domestic travelers, Road Lodge focuses on value-for-money stays with smart, modern amenities and a straightforward booking experience, appealing to budget travelers and those seeking dependable lodging on the go.
4. StayEasy Hotels – StayEasy offers an affordable, no-nonsense hotel experience targeting budget-conscious travelers looking for clean, practical rooms with essential services. The brand positions itself as a dependable and uncomplicated choice for short stays, often near airports and major business nodes, balancing cost efficiency with consistent standards.
5. Airbnb South Africa – While not a traditional hotel competitor, Airbnb disrupts the hospitality market by offering diverse, localized lodging options ranging from budget to premium stays. Its unique selling point lies in authentic, personalized accommodation experiences often integrated into local neighborhoods, targeting travelers seeking flexibility, cultural immersion, and alternative lodging beyond conventional hotels.
Q: What is Reusable Ads about?
A: Reusable Ads is a 2023 campaign created by TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris for City Lodge Hotels in South Africa, designed in response to the hospitality sector’s post-pandemic challenges. The campaign centers on three humor-driven, dialogue-free films that use only subtitles to depict relatable reasons why people might need a break from daily life. By monitoring real-time trends in social and traditional media, the creative team continually rewrote the films to address current national conversations, transforming a limited set of assets into a flexible, culturally attuned series that reinforced City Lodge Hotels as a timely and accessible escape.
Q: What creative device does Reusable Ads use?
A: Reusable Ads employs the Show the Problem format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Each film humorously highlights a familiar, culturally relevant problem—such as enduring a heatwave or facing post-holiday work fatigue—without spoken dialogue, relying entirely on subtitles to deliver the narrative. The creative device spotlights current or trending issues experienced by the audience and positions City Lodge Hotels as the practical solution, encouraging viewers to take a break. The campaign’s adaptive approach, rewriting films in response to social trends, reinforces its topicality and cultural resonance.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Reusable Ads?
A: The campaign proposition for Reusable Ads is to position City Lodge Hotels as a reliable, year-round destination that understands and responds to the evolving needs of South Africans seeking relief from everyday pressures. By focusing on moments when people crave a break—whether due to extreme weather or the return to work—the brand asserts its accessibility and relevance. The strategy leverages real-time media listening to ensure the messaging remains culturally current, reinforcing City Lodge’s role as a welcoming escape during the sector’s post-pandemic recovery and connecting emotionally with audiences seeking respite.
Q: How does Reusable Ads rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: In Clapboard’s global ad archive, Reusable Ads holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as evaluated by Clapboard’s curatorial standards.
Q: Who are the competitors in City Lodge Hotels's category?
A: In the South African hospitality and tourism sector, City Lodge Hotels competes with Protea Hotels by Marriott, which emphasizes reliable, midscale accommodations with a focus on local culture; Sun1 Hotels, targeting price-conscious travelers with budget-friendly, no-frills stays near transport hubs; Road Lodge, offering affordable, value-driven lodging for domestic travelers; StayEasy Hotels, providing uncomplicated, cost-efficient rooms for short stays near business nodes; and Airbnb South Africa, which disrupts the market by offering diverse, localized, and flexible accommodation options for travelers seeking authentic experiences beyond traditional hotels.
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