Castle Lager campaign champions township business growth

Castle Lager has been the grain and fibre of the versatile SA story for 127 years. 

As the country transitioned over the years, the brand meandered from national sporting fields to the hearts and minds of the beautiful people of Mzansi. Castle Lager has always been “within”. 

Castle Lager has further positioned itself as the brand that recognises and nurtures the good in SA through the #ItsWithin campaign, which launched earlier this year. 

The campaign encourages South Africans to recognise the good that exists within all of us — and the strength we find in our communities. Castle Lager showcased this through a TV commercial while partnering with local graffiti artists to bring this to life through wall murals.

In November 2022, the brand launched its second leg of the #ItsWithin series, #KeepItWithin, which celebrates local businesses. In an effort to empower SA township businesses, celebrate their resilience and boost their efforts, this bold initiative will move our townships from good to better. #KeepItWithin aims to grow 50 kasi businesses by 10% by the end of 2023.

Castle Lager intends to unleash the full economic potential of township businesses by providing marketing support, business development tools and funding. 

“Castle Lager is championing the growth and development of kasi businesses through our Keep It Within campaign” says Wendy Bedforth, Castle Lager brand director. 

“We recognise that our townships have completely transformed — this is where good is happening, it is a place of excellence, where people are choosing to do business in their local neighbourhoods.

“Forty four percent of South Africans say they spend more money in townships and 75% say they would buy local brands over international fashion brands. Castle wants to provide hope to South Africans by supporting these local businesses because when we focus on building the good, the good gets even better.”

In November, Castle Lager released its first batch of 500ml cans which market and profile 16 kasi businesses. These cans will be updated with a new set of 16 businesses every quarter. Castle Lager is inviting SA to join them in support of their favourite 100% home-brewed businesses. 

Consumers over the age of 18 can nominate their favourite local businesses to stand a chance to win marketing support, skills training or R40,000 in funding. All consumers have to do is purchase a selected Castle Lager pack and dial  *120*1895* and follow the prompts. Entry is 20c per 20 seconds on USSD for all networks. Nominations close at the end of 2023.

Castle Lager’s Keep it Within campaign is a tangible intervention to lift township businesses that are already contributing about 6% of SA’s GDP and more than 2-million jobs in the economy. A case in point is Godiragetse Mogajane, who started Delivery Ka Speed — a local food delivery service that’s been built on bringing accessibility to eKasi.

Mogajane started his business without a team of developers or an app in Hammanskraal, northern Gauteng, and Tsakane and Katlehong, in Ekurhuleni in Gauteng’s East Rand — all places without traditional maps. Today, his food delivery business has delivered more than 10,000 meals and counting. Mogajane is a beautiful example of having a fire within to do good in their community.

Click here for more information or follow Castle Lager SA on Facebook, @CastleLagerSA on Twitter and @castlelagersa on Instagram. 

This article was paid for by Castle Lager.