The way it works...

Beginning in June (youth month) and ending in November, the Optimistic Rebels campaign will unearth and profile young South Africans with unique, stubborn and almost-insane creative talent. Across the country, the rebellious and gifted young in our land will be honoured in music and dance, art, comedy, life and learn categories.

Converse will be igniting national creativity across these various categories by inviting South African consumers to enter the national competition by submitting a two-minute video clip depicting their ‘Optimistic Rebel’ talent. Each category will be activated nationally with a final event taking place in November at which winners of the “optimistic rebels” competition will be announced. Although there will be one principal ambassador per category, Converse will continuously stimulate creativity by providing a wide and blank canvas for celebrating the best South African youth talent.

What is it all about...?

Converse local Marketing Manager Estie du Toit says: “The campaign seeks to ignite a real, imaginative and holistic conversation among all the youth in our rainbow nation. We want the fresh-spirited and brazen attitude of South Africa's youth to become a vibrant catalyst for celebrating our common heritage.” Optimistic Rebels is about discovering extremely gifted young artists with that uncanny, almost scary yet charming DNA of an optimistic rebel, and encouraging the hidden genius of a creative deviant to come to the fore and set the nation’s imagination ablaze.

The Converse spirit…

Converse is on a voyage to discover those restless and ever-searching souls to whom creativity is an endless quest for personal truth and engaging with the world on their own terms. For these young artists, there are no fears expressed and absolutely no one can extinguish their raging creative fire. These rebels epitomise the Converse spirit, they don’t wait for fate to interpret their dreams - they fight it out to see their dreams come alive in their awoken hour.