Yashodra Raidu (centre) with the Joe Public team. She says working for the agency gives her inspiration every day because of its purpose to serve people, clients and the world through creativity.
Image: SUPPLIED
If the sixteen‑year‑old Yashodra Raidu who struggled to keep her passion for the arts alive could see her fifty‑year‑old self now, she would say, “Well done, I’m proud of you. Thank you for sticking to your passion for the creative arts.”
Despite the many obstacles faced by a young Indian female growing up in Shallcross in the 1990s, Raidu is now a senior TV producer at one of the biggest communications and advertising agency groups in the world, Joe Public, producing many of South Africa’s favourite television adverts.
Currently Raidu is working on a new Chicken Licken advert for their Soul Sisters campaign. While tight‑lipped about the concept, the anticipation in the advertising world is mounting for the latest instalment of the fried chicken brand’s rivalry. The advert comes off the back of Joe Public's latest award for Agency of the Year at the 2025 Loerie Awards, where they secured a prestigious Grand Prix for Performance Craft.
The winning campaign for Chicken Licken, known as Piki Piki Mabelane, follows the hilariously indecisive journey of a middle‑aged man as he navigates a series of trivial yet agonising choices. From selecting a shirt to picking a parking spot, his inability to decide becomes a source of mild frustration to those around him. The climax unfolds at a Chicken Licken outlet, where our protagonist is once again faced with a dilemma: choosing between two meal options. Just as he begins to spiral into his “Piki Piki Mabelane” game, the cashier offers him a lifeline – Chicken Licken’s Soul Square Meal – which combines the best of both worlds.
Another advert Raidu has produced includes the infamous recreation of the 1980s classic TV series Knight Rider for Chicken Licken. While “KITT” (the self‑driving, talking car) was no longer in America but in South Africa, Michael Knight – played by American star David Hasselhoff – was replaced by a South African named Michael Nyathi.
“The advert was a huge hit because everyone resonated with the 80s TV show,” said Raidu.
She explained that the advert was produced during the worldwide Covid‑19 lockdown, which made it impossible for Hasselhoff to travel to South Africa.
“This was a difficult advert because after the creative concept was developed, it was then my responsibility as the producer to actually see everything go through. However, we still shot with him. We sent a production team to his house in Los Angeles and we sat in our board room at Joe Public in Johannesburg and viewed everything remotely, almost directing from here,” Raidu recalled.
Yashodra Raidu grew up in Shallcross and struggled to keep her passion for the arts alive. Today, she is a senior TV producer at Joe Public, producing some of South Africa’s most loved adverts.
Image: SUPPLIED
But the path to Raidu’s current position was never a straight line.
“I supposed it wasn’t always the plan to end up here. It’s not like you go to varsity and you study engineering and you know you are going to be an engineer,” she explained.
“I always had a passion for art. I studied art until matric. Then, when I enrolled for my first year of campus in 1994, there were probably two Indians in the first year because the subject matter was still very white dominated.”
After a year studying fine art, which she did not enjoy, Raidu did a second year of textile design. Still unsure of how to best express her creativity, she halted studying – which was not financially viable for her – and entered the normal work industry.
“I also had to self-fund my studies and help my mum as a single parent,” she said. During that year she did short courses such as floristry and worked for event companies to gain experience.
All that changed in 1997 when the infamous socio‑political cartoonist and award‑winning artist Dr Nanda Soobben opened the Centre for Fine Art, Animation and Design (CFAD).
“I enrolled for the one‑year course in Computer Graphic Design. Computer graphics was just starting off then. And I decided that graphic design was something that I wanted to do,” said Raidu.
Following Raidu’s career, Dr Soobben said he is proud of his student’s achievements. “Who would think that CFAD students are at the top of the advertising world in South Africa and beyond? It shows what a free creative can do if given the opportunity.”
With work opportunities limited in Durban, Raidu moved to Johannesburg, where she eventually entered the advertising world. From a humble graphic designer, twenty‑six years later she is a senior TV producer.
Raidu’s adverts have become a part of pop culture, influencing generations of art, music and literature.
“Working for Joe Public gives me an inspiration every day to get out of bed because we have a value and a purpose, and that is to serve our people, our clients and our world through the greatness of advertising and creativity,” she explained.
She hopes to carry this influence into the next generation of creatives.
“For me it is now all about educating the youth, particularly in my field. I do a lot of mentorship and take on the young ones in educating them in what the life of a TV producer is. I think I am going to spend the next couple of years mentoring the youth and pushing creativity overall in our country.”
Her message to young people is clear.
“Explore and pursue your dreams. Follow your dreams but also explore your dreams. If you feel that you are going to be that person who is behind the next best TV commercial, go for it and just work towards that constantly, because it might never be a straight path. You may have to start off in a roundabout way, but if you persevere you can always see the end goal.”