Earlier this year, Woolworths teamed up with US musician Pharell Williams in a campaign called “Are You With Us? #PharellWithWooliesâ€, which aimed to “call together everyone around the world who believes that a better tomorrow is possible when we all do our partâ€. But BDS South Africa has a whole new take on the campaign – literally a whole, new take. FIRDAUS KHAN explains.
Early on Saturday morning, Boycott Divestment Sanctions South Africa (BDS-SA) – which started its Boycott Woolies campaign in July last year to to protest that the store stocks Israeli products – released a spoof of the video, with a new message supporting their cause dubbed over the video Pharell did for Woolworths.
In the video, BDS-SA replaced lyrics such as “harmonising humanity†with “boycotting Woolworths†and “those who are giving to make sure that every kid gets the best shot at education†with “those who are aggrieved for every kid that gets shot by the Israeli occupationâ€.
It features a clear disclaimer saying that “this spoof video does not represent the views and/or opinions of Woolworths, or Pharrell Williams, and should not be attributed to them†so it’s probably safe from claims of copyright infringement.
Watch the video:Â
The video, which has been described as “culture jamming“, went viral with the campaign attracting the attention of well-known South Africans.
*Woolies guerillas strike**Intensifying the #BoycottWoolworths Campaign BDS SA campaigner Kwara Kekana http://t.co/aROqea9oum via @YouTube
— Ferial Haffajee (@ferialhaffajee) June 27, 2015
Check out this BDS spoof of Pharrell explaining why to #BoycottWoolworths. How real is this? http://t.co/ZCYcEfy79q
— Shaka Sisulu (@ShakaSisulu) June 27, 2015
And it’s drawn its share of supporters and detractors online.
@BDSsouthafrica Always disgusted when I have 2 go pass by Woolworths stores n will always be until Palestines are freed #boycottWoolworths — Owen mncwango (@Owenmncwango) June 28, 2015
When @ambassadorlenk endorses this, then you know you have to #BoycottWoolworths! http://t.co/0cJDxfJvw1 — Suraya Dadoo (@Suraya_Dadoo) June 25, 2015
Been asked to #boycott @WOOLWORTHS_SA lol I love #woollies coffee and I’m #Jewish why should I #boycottwoolies, it makes no sense to me.
— TheOracle (@simonmodau) June 29, 2015
Boycott Woolworths? No thanks.
— Chay Skyla Cook ♥ (@ChayCook) June 28, 2015
What do you make of BDS’s latest salvo in the #BoycottWoolies campaign? Tell us in the comments section.
