It looked like a conference, behaved like a conference, and carried all the markings of a serious keynote event. But because it was Savanna, there was a comedic twist: DryCon was a straight-faced, meticulously crafted satire that turned corporate culture on its head and transformed it into entertainment. It was the brand’s biggest leap into storytelling yet, a universe with its own characters, mythology, humour and moments only Savanna could deliver.
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Before DryCon was even imagined, one remarkable truth drove it. For almost thirty years, Savanna Premium Cider has remained itself: only the juiciest apples expertly fermented until dry, cold-filtered until crisp, uniquely crafted with toasted oak essence, and served ice-cold with that unmistakable lemon in the neck. A cider that doesn’t need to chase change to stay loved, it simply stays sure of itself. Steve Jobe, the newly introduced Chief Dry Officer (CDO), was there to make sure that never changed.
DryCon began like any major summit. There was anticipation, an agenda, and a promise of a reveal. There was a host. There was a keynote. There were testimonials, debates, live segments and even a tech demo. Yet every element was reengineered through Savanna’s signature dry humour. At one point, Mojak Lehoko reminded the audience that Savanna had been around “since Sello Maake Ka Ncube still had dreads,” grounding the brand’s decades-long legacy in true comedic fashion.
The tension was real, the production was premium, and the comedy lay just beneath the surface, delivered with the crisp, dry wit that has defined Savanna for three decades. From misinterpretations of corporate buzzwords like “synergy”, DryCon was a playful reflection of the South African workplace.
To bring the universe to life, Savanna assembled a cast of South Africa’s most iconic comedic talents: Mojack Lehoko, Q Dube, Jerry Mntonga, Wazi Kunene, Farieda Metsileng, Rob Van Vuuren, Aiden Ho and Stella Dlangalala. Each stepped into a crafted character within the DryCon world.
Even the brand’s AI chatbot, Savivi 2.0, added to the fun, declaring that Savanna needed “nothing. Zero. Dololo. Nada. Nix.”
At the centre of it all sat Savanna’s Chief Dry Officer, Steve Jobe, a man in a yellow turtleneck on a deadpan mission to preserve the crisp, dry perfection of Savanna. Dubbed the “lepara of juicy apples, the pharaoh of fermenting, the Don Dada of Dry,” Jobe set the tone for the brand’s future while emphasising that some classics never need changing.
Marketing Director Andrea Quaye described DryCon as a celebration of Savanna’s cultural legacy. “South Africans understand Savanna because they understand the humour. DryCon was our way of creating a world people could step into. It was a tribute to the clarity, confidence and wit that have defined this brand for nearly thirty years.”
Throughout the DryCon experience, one message echoed repeatedly: there would be a reveal. It was the heart of the conference, the moment everything was building toward. But true to Savanna’s nature, no one said exactly what it was. The brand held its cards close, inviting the country to experience the moment together.
From debates about outrageous flavour ideas (“moringa, lavender, banana and cucumber”) to nostalgic reflections on Savanna’s journey, from 330ml, to 500ml, to 0.0%, DryCon highlighted the brand’s legacy of innovation while reminding audiences that Savanna’s taste has never changed because it never needed to.
The audience also enjoyed interactive elements, from blindfolded taste tests to Kahoot quizzes and the now-iconic “golden apple” giveaway, bringing the conference energy to life in unexpected ways.
What exactly did The Greatest Conference Ever unveil on the night?
The message was simple, bold and refreshingly honest: Savanna isn’t changing. Because it’s perfect.
Savanna. Crisp. Dry. Perfect.