If there was one ad campaign in the 2000s that stuck in our minds, it was surely Yop’s (we don’t need to identify which).
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The 30-second commercial, designed by McCann-Erickson, shows many teenagers struggling to get out of bed in the morning. On their face, they have an oversized mouth that sings a catchy tune about how they wish they had a Yop brand yogurt drink for lunch.
What many don’t know, however, is that the mythical catchy tune wasn’t created for the campaign.
It is a cover version of the song Gimme Hope Jo’anna recorded by Guyanese-born singer Eddy Grant in 1988. The Jo’anna in question is Johannesburg.
Because it’s a song that criticizes the apartheid regime in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s.
The play was very successful at the time and was even banned in the target country. However, several local residents had managed to get their hands on copies of the disc, and it had become a powerful rallying cry for opponents of the regime.
Despite its playful atmosphere, the play’s lyrics are quite raw and speak to the anguish and fear felt by the residents of Johannesburg. However, the play also offers a message of hope, saying things are about to change.
When McCann-Erickson adapted the track for his 2004 ad campaign, some people indicated they were uncomfortable with the anti-apartheid anthem being used for profit. Several people criticized Eddy Grant for agreeing to the rights sale.
In the end, despite its controversial history, Yoplait had great success with the campaign in the UK and then Canada.
Almost 20 years later, it’s still hard to look at a bottle of liquid yogurt without hearing “Yop, my mom.”