What to do with World Cup's vuvuzelas? Design an alternate use and win $1,500.
An ad agency in Cape Town, South Africa, has launched a contest for what to do with the controversial plastic horns. Suggestions include refashioning the vuvuzelas into candlestick holders, light stands, even ‘vuvu-brellas’ to keep you dry.
A United States fan blows his vuvuzela, at Ellis Park Stadium, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on June 18, during the match between US and Slovenia in the soccer World Cup group C.
Hussein Malla/AP/File
Cape Town, South Africa
Remember the vuvuzela? The infamous plastic horn that became every World Cup fan’s favorite instrument? The one that sounded like a herd of elephants?
Well, two months after South Africa finished hosting world soccer's biggest tournament, a competition has been launched to find alternative uses for the glut of vuvuzelas left over from the Cup.
"The vuvuzela became an iconic symbol of the World Cup and has become synonymous with South Africa. It was the one symbol that wasn’t actually branded, unlike everything else. It united the country unlike anything else," says competition organizer Shaun McCormack from the Leftfield advertising firm in South Africa's southern coastal city of Cape Town.
“Some people didn’t like [the vuvuzelas], but you could not ignore [them]. But what do people do with them now? I’ve got one sitting at home and although I don’t blow it, I don’t want to throw it away," says Mr. McCormack, adding that his agency had received 120 submissions ahead of this Friday’s competition deadline, which has been promoted via Facebook and Twitter. "We hope this competition will come up with some good suggestions.”
'Vuvu-brella,' anyone?
Among the current suggestions posted to the competition website are a candlestick holder, light stand, a ‘vuvu-brella,’ reading lamp, animal feeder, watering can, and Christmas tree.
Some of the entrants have been roughly sketched while others involve intricate designs – all of which are fighting for the 10,000 rand ($1,454) prize.
Banned at events worldwide
The colored plastic horn dominated this summer’s World Cup, annoying and delighting fans in equal measure. Supporters complained the constant drone ruined the atmosphere in stadiums and on TV.
The instrument has since been banned at a number of venues worldwide, including the soccer stadiums of England's famous Premier League, the tennis courts of Wimbledon, and next year’s rugby World Cup.
McCormack is now appealing to shops and manufacturers to donate spare vuvuzelas to help put the winning entry into production. He may have more than he ever needed.