Legacy of laughs: Savanna’s commitment to SA comedy

For close to 30 years, Savanna has built a legacy of serving some serious laughs through its support of South Africa’s comedy industry.

This year, the premium cider brand has brought back Trevor Noah for the soccer-themed Bafunny Bafunny: South Africa’s Festival of Comedy tour.

Slated to take the stage next to South Africa’s funniest export are stand-up comedian and voiceover artist Mbali Gudazi and comedian and actor Eugene Khoza, among many others.

According to marketing communications manager for Savanna premium cider Kayla Hendricks, this is all part of celebrating the legacy built by Savanna over the years.

“Comedy and Savanna found each other very naturally,” she says. This has come to define how the brand has been on the pulse of awkward and serious moments in South Africa’s history, yet has always been able to find the lighter side.

“Supporting comedy was never just about putting our logo next to a show or a comedian. It made sense because comedy is one of the clearest ways Savanna can show up in culture — with that smart, sharp, lighthearted and very South African perspective on life,” says Hendricks.

Over the decades that Savanna has supported comedy, the brand has partnered with beloved faces like stand-up comedian and media personality Barry Hilton, who captured the dry wit seen in its unforgettable advertising.

But the brand has not been limited to established stars only. Savanna has consistently found ways to focus the spotlight on up-and-coming talent. Especially with the “virtual comedy bar campaign”, that unearthed the brightest sparks during the Covid-19 lockdown years.

The campaign has since repeatedly brought new talent to the forefront, often from small towns or rural locations.

Hendricks says the company approaches the Savanna Comics Choice Comedy Awards with the same passion. For the past 12 years, the annual event recognises local talent and gives emerging comedians a platform to showcase their talents.

Savanna’s reach is also spreading across the continent, with the likes of Zimbabwean stand-up comedian and MC Learnmore Jonasi among the stars taking part in Bafunny Bafunny .

“This year’s tour is going to be a real flagship experience for the industry,” says Hendricks, “and of course Savanna will be alongside those laughs, so people are in for the best time.”

Hendricks says the tour plan is that each province will experience a different flavour of South African humour.

It’s not just a comedy show with famous names; it’s about a showcase of South African stand-up on a larger scale