Uganda’s film industry and ad agencies, collaborate to raise the bar on TV commercials— the big boys in the game speak out

You could rightly say it’s still playing catch-up with the rest of the world, but television in Uganda has truly evolved.

A TikTok account named “Uganda Back Then” which is dedicated to old Ugandan television content (mostly tv commercials) that aired in the late 90s through the 2000s, is a good reference point for how far the industry has come.

Yet for all that has changed; from the hazy analogue picture to HD, from that boxy living room confined screen to mobile devices and apps, one thing that seems constant is how we all seem to detest sitting through TV commercials.

“Let’s take a short break” is often our cue to flick through other channels or take that due bathroom break.

But in recent years, this snooze fest of boring monotonous TV ads has been broken every now and then, by some impressive commercials that hit the waves and quickly tickle our imagination, spark nostalgic feelings, while some have turned out to be downright viral sensations.

From that “What Do Crocodiles Eat” ad to our beloved village boy “Bosco Katala,” or the infamous “Dismas is My Name,” these super commercials really got us hooked.

And behind all of it, is a sprouting but relentless film industry that is determined to make a point or two about local potential.

Film companies such as Swangz Avenue have now poured significant resources into developing these catchy commercials along with other content in film and music.

“A lot is going into this work. We now have, for instance, fully-fledged departments such as wardrobe and casting, with directors who go out there and hunt for people who are good and funny and can meet our production needs,” says Benon Mugumbya, the company’s in-house director.

Swangz Avenue, he says, has also gone out of its way to invest in world-class equipment.

“When we were starting out on these TV commercials, there were, of course, many other players, but there wasn’t really what you would call industry-standard equipment in terms of lighting, camera, grips etc.,” he recounted in an interview with this website.

“But we have all of that now. When we started we were shooting in standard definition (SD); right now we are talking 4k, 8k; some cameras go up to 12k,” he said.  

And the outcomes so far… impressive; entertaining; engaging; even provocative.

An MTN ad in 2019 featuring actor Edward Kiwanuka as Dismas quickly sparked a debate on social and mainstream media about male feminism and relations.

Such other commercials that broke out on TV, have been praised for originality, creativity and extraordinary cinematography, such as a recent one on Bancassurance by Absa Bank Uganda.

In this one, which is produced by marketing and advertising agency FCB Limelight Uganda, a little girl learns a tough lesson when, while out playing in the yard, her brother’s ball hits and nearly breaks the glass bowl containing her best friend — her pet fish.

And so, she hastily convinces her dad and off they go to the nearby Absa Branch to insure the little fishy. The ad end at a point where viewers are invited to insure anything with Absa so they can focus on other things they care about.

“Beautiful Ad,” exclaimed one Twitter user.

Another witty one about MTN’s freedom bundles plays out in a restaurant where a client’s dinner date is ruined by a mean waiter who seizes the couple’s food midway upon expiration of their eating time.

The quality game is just getting started

Like any other good product, the process of making these commercials can be stretched out, often involving multiple players.

Mr Frank Muthusi says the making of such ads usually starts with advertising agencies.

Muthusi heads one such agency named Fireworks Advertising (U) Ltd, which is one of dozens that have now sprung up in the country.

He is also the chairperson of the Uganda Advertising Association, which has a membership of up to 18 Ad agencies.

“An Ad campaign often begins with contextualization, which is what we do,” Muthusi told us in an interview.

“A client will come to an agency with a problem, let’s say they are launching a particular product and they need a lot of public engagement. So, the agency will sit and contextualize the TV ad as well as the radio ads and also how it will appear on the billboard, because everything has to talk to each other. They all have to flow,” he says.

The concept, Muthusi says, is then shared with the client who approves and then it goes to production.

“The film producers will then get our angle, add their own flavor and then together, we start casting…we try to get the best characters and models and then the shooting can begin.”

With more and more local brands and organizations moving to embrace digital advertising on YouTube, social media and even streaming sites like Spotify (where UBL became the first Ugandan firm to run an Ad, months ago), it is apparent that production of quality ads is only getting started.

But players in the industry are not just fixated on production of great ads and getting raving local reviews, but also have eyes on international platforms for Ugandan film.

Loukman Ali, who has produced a number of tv ads for companies such as Nile Breweries, is now best known for producing Uganda’s first ever movie on Netflix.

His movie “The Girl in the Yellow Jumper” which had been in the works since 2019, was picked by the leading American streaming service last month.

The film starring Michael Wawuyo Jnr, Michael Wawuyo, Gladys Oyenbot, Maurice Kirya and Rehema Nanfuka tells the story of a man who is drugged and kidnapped while watching TV.

“There are many opportunities here, for instance, Uganda could be a small market, but Netflix could hire our talented cast and crew for an original production set in a different country,” says Loukman.

“Having a Ugandan film on the platform is our way of announcing that we can do what Nigerians and South Africa do.”

Mr Loukman, after the life changing achievement, is currently working on another film titled “Ddamba,” which he says will be coming out next year.

So is Benon Mugumbya over at Swangz Avenue, who is also working on a number of tv shows and films.

“We have already put two episodes of a show called “Conversations” which is on YouTube and sponsored by TML. But we are also working on other short films and in the future a feature film,” he says.

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