Not too long ago, we covered one of the most iconic car advertisements ever created – Chevy’s “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet” TV spot. Simply mentioning those four things in a single sentence is probably more than enough to kick off the whole jingle in more than a few of our readers’ heads right now. The classic Chevrolet ad proved so popular, that it spawned a whole slew of international variants, including an Australian version (“Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden Cars”). And now, we have the South African version.
This classic Chevrolet ad is actually just a radio jingle, rather than a full TV video spot, but the format is exactly the same as the others.
– “South Africa, what’s your favorite meal?”
“Braaivleis!”
“Sport?”
“Rugby!”
“Weather?”
“Sunshine!”
“And what’s your greatest car, South Africa?”
“Chevrolet!”
And so it goes. For those scratching their heads wondering what braaivleis are, a quick search reveals it’s basically just South African-style barbecue. The rest of it should be pretty obvious.
Anyway, in the ‘70s, classic Chevrolet vehicles were primarily imported over from Australia as Holdens, then rebadged for the South African market. Chevy South Africa’s lineup included models such as the Constantia, Kommando, and the Holden HK-based El Camino.
Chevrolet Constantia
It’s funny that this classic Chevrolet ad has so many permutations and just goes to show that when advertisers hit on something that works, it’s full steam ahead to adapt it for other potential audiences and markets. And with a structure as simple as the original “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet” ad, it doesn’t take much to swap in a few changes.
Unfortunately, GM has decided to withdraw from South Africa in 2017, shuttering the GM Struandale plant in the process. So perhaps Chevrolet is no longer South Africa’s favorite car, which is really too bad.
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Comments
I grew up in a Chevrolet family. 1 Constantia V8, 1 Chevy 4.1 as we called them, and an absolutely crazy Chevy Can Am. That was a tiny Firenza with a V8. Can’t recall if it was a 308 or 350. Google it, I will not, because it will just spoil the childhood memories. Oh, and my dad’s brother was a Ford guy. Enemy nr1. Alas today Ford is a top 2 seller and Chevrolet, well, it’s gone.
Keep in mind that GM sold Chevrolet’s in South Africa during the apartheid era when the ads aired. South Africa didn’t have television until 1975 when the government signed on SABC that year.
Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden Cars is still the best version of this jingle. Check it out here!
Yep no tv in SA till ’76 actually. That is when properbroadcasting began. The Chev Constantia featured on your site was mine until very very recently. Sold it to make way for a Buick Riviera. They were actually Holden Stateman HQ cars built locally. No US model chevies except C10 sold here after 1969. And why wouldnt GM have not sold here in the Apartheid days- business is business esp when they were still top dog in the market here. Did stop marketing chevy name after 1982 for political reasons, but mainly as they had lost their market position to the Japanese and Germans. Came back in early 2000s but product range so profoundly horrible that they were not missed when Mary Barra and her execs pulled out in ’17.