J.C. Le Roux, the leader in the country’s sparkling wine category, has partnered with TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris to launch ‘Make a Thing of It’ – a campaign that challenges how South Africans think about celebration. Instead of saving bubbles for major life events like weddings and graduations, the brand encourages people to recognise and honour the small, everyday moments that deserve to be marked, in line with its new strategy: Be Extra More Often.
The campaign features four striking executions, each capturing a close-up of a cork embedded within a small celebration-worthy moment: cutting a fringe, completing a puzzle, painting a statement wall and meeting a work KPI. Shot entirely using practical, in-camera photography with no digital manipulation, each image is deceptively simple yet culturally resonant.
The campaign rolled out across multiple channels, including press in The Sunday Times and The Sowetan, digital out-of-home, and in-store posters (point of sale) at TOPS stores across Gauteng.
"In South Africa, there's an unspoken rule that bubbles are only for the biggest occasions", said Darno van Dyk, head of wine at Heineken Beverages SA. "But real life is made up of small wins. It’s the moments that matter deeply to the people living them. We wanted to give South Africans permission to be extra more often and make a thing of those moments. The cork, usually thrown away in a moment of celebration, becomes the evidence of unexpected achievement."
A fresh approach to print
The work strips away category convention. Where sparkling wine advertising typically showcases glamorous, aspirational milestones, ‘Make a Thing of It’ grounds the brand in authentic, relatable everyday life. The cork, a object traditionally overlooked, becomes impossible to ignore, transforming the ordinary into something worth marking.
Carl Willoughby, chief creative officer at TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris, the ad agency responsible for the campaign, highlights how we can all relate to the symbolism behind the cork. “People hold onto corks or even frame them to celebrate milestones. This campaign strategically illustrates how everyday achievements can also be special.”
By honing in on the cork and placing it within the moment itself, the campaign leverages print and outdoor’s unique power: commanding attention at scale, creating impact through bold simplicity and leaving a lasting impression in a single frame.
"We shot everything in-camera because authenticity matters", said Juliet Honey, creative director. "There's no AI, no digital tricks. We really wanted to make the humble cork the hero."
Building a new cultural narrative
J.C. Le Roux has been South Africa's sparkling wine leader since 1982, built on a foundation of accessible quality and heritage craftsmanship – from hand-placed ribbons on bottles to award-winning Cap Classiques. The brand's democratic positioning has long suggested that celebration doesn't require formality; ‘Make a Thing of It’ makes that belief explicit.
The campaign is modular by design, built to roll out across South Africa's cultural calendar, and aims to shift how the nation defines moments worth celebrating.
"This isn't just about selling more sparkling wine," said Darno, "It's about shifting culture. We're saying: your moments matter. And J.C. Le Roux is here to celebrate them with you."
About J.C. Le Roux
Founded in 1982, J.C. Le Roux is South Africa's first and only dedicated sparkling wine cellar and the leader in the country's sparkling wine category. Known for consistent quality, elegant aesthetics and award-winning wines – including the acclaimed Scintilla Vintage Reserve – J.C. Le Roux remains a cultural icon and innovator in the category. For more, visit https://www.jcleroux.co.za/.
