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Sanlam teams up with Mpho Popps for financial literacy marketing campaign
Sanlam just launched a marketing campaign like no other, disguising financial education as a hilarious stand-up comedy show. The F-Show, featuring comedian of the year Mpho ‘Popps’ Modikoane, was a bold and unexpected move to spark conversations about a topic most South Africans shy away from—finances.
Sanlam revealed that the comedy show was in fact a marketing campaign. Source: Supplied.
Stigma
Held over three sold-out nights in Johannesburg, this campaign turned financial literacy into entertainment, delivering key money lessons without the usual stigma.
Mariska Oosthuizen, chief marketing officer at Sanlam, says, “This campaign is rooted in the insight that South Africans don’t want to talk about money. However, research reveals that regularly talking about finances results in better mental wellbeing, improved relationships, and financial outcomes. Sanlam’s north star is to empower people to live with financial confidence, security and prosperity. So, The F-Show is our creative catalyst to normalise these kinds of conversations. As a nation, we’re very good at laughing at ourselves. So, comedy is a clever medium to help people to move past their inhibitions and engage with a traditionally ‘taboo topic’.
“Popps, along with supporting acts, Vafa Naraghi and Khanyisa Bunu, got the vision immediately and kept it raw and hilarious to bring home the message from our Dirtiest Word campaign: Money talk matters.”
Popps – multi award-winning comedian and actor – adds, “Partnering on this project with Sanlam has been amazing. The idea of The F-Show is gripping; money is an actual f-word that people don’t want to engage with. That’s why humour is so important. As South Africans, our ability to laugh at ourselves is the glue in our culture that’s kept us going for the past 30 years.”
Money is sensitive
As clips from The F-Show started circulating on social media – generating over two million views, with 14, 000 shares and 138, 000 engagements – South Africans found themselves laughing and sharing moments that resonated with their own financial experiences, without fully realising they were being taught valuable financial lessons at the same time.
Sam Beckbessinger – author of Manage Your Money Like a F*cking Grownup – condensed years of financial insight and knowledge into six solid ‘fin lit’ lessons for the comedians to craft their comedy around. Popps says preparing for the show was challenging but fun.
“There’s no sensitive way to talk about money. Money is money. You either have it or you’re trying to get it. Money shouldn’t be a taboo topic; we make it one and that’s the problem. We need to talk about money more; it’s healthy to do so. I grew up in a family that didn’t talk about it and, as a result, I had money struggles growing up. Now, I make it a point to talk about finances with my daughter and my wife.
