Give Jan the red card
23 Mar 2009
Keo, in his weekly Business Day newspaper column, writes Vodacom’s Player 23 campaign is an insult to the cosmopolitan South African rugby supporter.
For 10 years South African rugby’s marketing team did everything to reflect that in a new South Africa there was a new South African rugby culture far removed from the brandy and coke potbellied types that stereotype the traditional white Afrikaans male’s bond with the game.
Zulu dancers were introduced as part of pre-match entertainment at Tests, playing quotas ensured black representation on the field and slowly blacks were enticed to experience an afternoon at the palace of what was once a white’s only affair.
There was an effort being made to change perception and to kill off stereotyping, but South African rugby could guarantee nothing outside of their control – and they don’t control who pays to go to a ground. They could not foresee Piet van Zyl, dressed in jeans and a Springbok jersey that couldn’t accommodate his barrel gut, casually wondering onto the field and assaulting Irish referee Dave McHugh when the Springboks played the All Blacks in Durban in 2002, and they could not be accountable for the actions of an unidentified individual who racially abuses another at a game.
All that South African rugby can control is that over which it has influence, and that is why the endorsement of Vodacom’s 2009 rugby campaign is baffling because all it has done is reinforce that the South African rugby fan is everything the organization has tried to convince us is no longer the case.
Vodacom, as the primary sponsor of rugby in South Africa, is celebrating the year of the fan. His name is Jan, he is player 23 in the team and he is a clone of the 1970s white Springbok rugby supporter – a walking caricature of what has always repulsed. Only they’ve given Jan a personality of being a jovial and hugely popular bloke, but perception is stronger than fact and the physical appearance of Jan and what he represents in the stands adds to the perception that rugby in South Africa is still a game supported only by grossly overweight brandy and coke potbellied types.
I have sympathy for the well-traveled and likeable modern Afrikaans-speaking South African who loves his language, loves his rugby and loves living in South Africa. This modern Afrikaner certainly doesn’t look or act like Jan and he must cringe every time he sees the advertisement.
In an evolving South African rugby audience market, Jan is in the minority at Stormers and Sharks matches, which says player 23 should be a celebration of something more than a pot-bellied Afrikaans speaking supporter. What of Gert, who is sophisticated, lean and intelligent? What of Sipho, who digs his rugby almost as much as he does soccer? What of Alice who never misses a game? What of Peter, who has always put the Springboks first on a Saturday afternoon?
Vodacom will defend their choice of Jan as good natured fun and SA Rugby will see nothing offensive in it, yet continue to wonder why the perception that their game caters only for conservative and racist whites.
The game in this country is more cosmopolitan in support than it has ever been and that is the pity of the advertisement because it reflects the past when there is so much of the current to be showcased when the British & Irish Lions visit in June.
This is not about being politically correct, but about accuracy in who supports the Springboks. There is more to South African rugby than Jan, but thanks to Jan it will take another 10 years to convince critics of South African rugby that there is life beyond the 23rd member of the team.
Things off the field have changed in our rugby and innovation would be celebrating this in the same way the Bulls and Sharks celebrated what hasn’t changed on the field, which is the ability of a good South African team to turn defence into the most lethal form of attack.
The Bulls and Sharks were brutal in defending their line against the Hurricanes and Force respectively, and the skill in maintaining defensive composure is equal to anything a team does when given the ball.
Rugby is a game played as much without the ball as with it, and at the weekend we saw two very good South African sides reinforce the stereotype that South African teams are more dangerous without the ball.
And, unlike Jan, that is a stereotype the cosmopolitan South African rugby fan should never find offensive.
1,374 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 [28] Show All
24 Mar 2009, 21:41 pm
#1339 cab: hey…geriatric flirting ?? Who you referring to?
24 Mar 2009, 21:41 pm
#1349 grootblouJan: Cheers GBJ, sien later weer.
24 Mar 2009, 21:43 pm
#1343 SodaJan: LOL…damn it has been good to laugh again…
24 Mar 2009, 21:43 pm
#1347 Chateau Neuf De Jan : Seriously you rivaling SkopJan for beating a dead horse now.
And woody is a pinko liberal shark hunter.
24 Mar 2009, 21:44 pm
Anyway chaps and Carol, gotta go. This site is thought provoking at the very least. Cheers.
24 Mar 2009, 21:45 pm
#1354 SodaJan: lol, see you through that dirty window of yours SodaJan.
24 Mar 2009, 21:45 pm
#1355 wooden jan: cheers mate
24 Mar 2009, 21:45 pm
#1353 grant10: Totally agree. How’s biz? Starting to turn with the interest rate drop?
Actually – with all the inbuilt stimulus for SWC and now IPL and whatnot, SA might surf the wave.
I hope so any way.
24 Mar 2009, 21:45 pm
#1338 wooden jan:
one must also let the trolls have their say. when TheTackler or StM or whoever u might put in this cateory provide their input, is there not a bit of spice and humour than the humdrum? diversity is the spice of life and tolerance makes it grow.
#1352 grant10:
lol, not you, dont listen, carry on.
24 Mar 2009, 21:46 pm
#1356 wooden jan: Bye bud.
24 Mar 2009, 21:48 pm
early nite for me…this geriatric flirter needs a rest…thanks tito for the rate drop…keep them coming…Princess…xx..cab…you a great oke but a shade intense and self salutary tonite boet…outta here!!
24 Mar 2009, 21:48 pm
#1359 Grenache Jan: couldn’t agree more.
Texture is good.
Insane is more valuable than inane.
But now I am done with SodaJan. It was very, very funny. And well worth the giggle.
24 Mar 2009, 21:48 pm
#1355 wooden jan: Woodyjan, till later!
24 Mar 2009, 21:49 pm
#1361 grant10: Bye SpeedoJan have a swim for me.
24 Mar 2009, 21:49 pm
how
do i
become
porra jan
24 Mar 2009, 21:50 pm
#1361 grant10: See you Jan10 XX
Thanks again for the ideas!! Will be in touch
Night Lads !!
24 Mar 2009, 21:50 pm
#1351 carol: I had a good laugh with my friends, sorry that you missed some of the jokes but i am not a good translator. I am also logging out for the night, sleep well.
Thats for all here have a good night.
Jan jan die bielie van die Bosveld…….
24 Mar 2009, 21:51 pm
#1341 wooden jan:
no worries, forget it.
#1355 SodaJan:
fair enough.
24 Mar 2009, 21:56 pm
#1368 cab: I am bored of Jan now. Come and chat on Sharks Pivot thread.
25 Mar 2009, 05:37 am
Three cheers for Boepie Jan.
Boo to Keo. Get an emergency humour-transplant, pilgrim.
25 Mar 2009, 06:09 am
#1370 TheTackler:
Lol…Jan’s popularity has increased 1370% by this article on keo, Vodacom should be pleased…..
Lekker ou Jan!
25 Mar 2009, 07:05 am
“The Jan ones,baby were the Jan ones”-Jan Richard
25 Mar 2009, 07:14 am
Jan !…..is jy daar ?
25 Mar 2009, 07:38 am
R.I.P.
JAN
Pages: « 1 … 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 [28] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.