The Castrol Series

There are times when I enjoy watching the adverts that break up a television series. Some of the funniest I have seen were the Castol ads from South Africa – they never failed to make me laugh. (Castrol is a motor oil that is used for cars). There were a series of them featuring three characters:  Boet, Swaer and Moegaai.

The adverts reflect the typical accent of South Africans and represent a caricature of the Afrikaner and the black man.

Looking at these simple and short ads bring a smile to my face. This might be because I am South African and it brings to mind so many people who are reflected in these characters.

The one for Worker’s Day sends a message to all workers in SA to take their day of rest:

The following brings in another caricature and a play on words:

To enjoy the following advert, knowledge of the tokoloshe is required. According to Zulu tradition, the tokoloshe is mischievous spirit that can bring you harm. One way to keep the tokoloshe away from you is to put a brick under each leg of your bed.

Their encounter with a Frenchman:

And with a little tongue in cheek:

Even mention is made of the change in South African sports:

Watching these video clips bring back a little of my South African memories. Sometimes I wonder whether Castrol ads are still run on South African TV.

Which was your favourite Castrol ad?

© Colline Kook-Chun, 2014

(This post was inspired by Frizz’s A-Z Challenge. This week C is tagged)