When Auto & General launched their Fire Assist campaign, the goal was to educate homeowners about fire risks while introducing a valuable service that gives customers access to one of South Africa’s leading private fire response teams.

But instead of relying on typical campaign merchandise, the brand wanted something unexpected. Something that would communicate the idea of fire and control in a way people would remember.

That’s where Splssh came in.

The brief was to develop a promotional product that would connect with the campaign theme while avoiding the usual safety items like fire blankets or standard corporate giveaways.

The result was a custom chilli sauce designed specifically for the campaign.

The Challenge

Auto & General’s Fire Assist campaign focuses on helping homeowners respond quickly and effectively in the event of a fire.

The campaign highlights common causes of household fires, including:

• unattended cooking
• gas stove leaks or tipping heaters
• candles during load shedding
• faulty wiring and overloaded plug points

The message was clear: fire can start unexpectedly, and having the right response system in place can make all the difference.

For the campaign merchandise, the brand wanted something that would reflect the theme of fire without feeling overly technical or instructional.

The product needed to:

• connect naturally to the idea of fire
• feel creative and memorable
• encourage people to interact with the campaign
• work as a conversation starter

Instead of a traditional safety product, the team wanted something that would spark curiosity while still reinforcing the campaign message.

Splssh’s Approach

Splssh suggested turning the campaign theme into something playful and tactile: a custom chilli sauce.

Chilli naturally connects to the concept of heat and fire, making it a clever metaphor for the campaign while still being a product people enjoy and use regularly.

Rather than producing a generic sauce with a logo slapped onto the bottle, Splssh helped develop a fully branded product experience.

The project included:

• sourcing and producing the chilli sauce
• designing custom bottle labels aligned with the campaign
• developing printed safety information tags attached to each bottle
• producing the packaging and finishing elements

The attached tag shared key fire safety insights along with details about the Fire Assist service, reinforcing the campaign message in a simple and engaging way.

The Product

The final product was a custom bottled chilli sauce designed to reflect the theme of fire while remaining approachable and useful.

Each bottle featured:

• custom Fire Assist campaign branding
• a bold campaign message:
“Contain the flavour, control the flame.”
• a printed information tag explaining common fire risks in the home
• key benefits of the Fire Assist service

The tag also highlighted important campaign messages such as rapid fire response, professional fire response teams and comprehensive coverage for insured homes.

By pairing the chilli sauce with educational messaging, the product successfully balanced creativity with practical information.

A Campaign That Sparks Conversation

What made the chilli sauce effective was its ability to turn a serious safety topic into something people would interact with.

Instead of a brochure that might be discarded, the chilli sauce becomes part of the customer’s kitchen.

Each time the bottle is used, the campaign message is reinforced.

Products like this work particularly well because they:

• create a memorable brand interaction
• encourage sharing and conversation
• extend the life of a marketing campaign
• transform messaging into a tangible experience

The chilli sauce became a clever and unexpected way to connect Auto & General’s fire safety message with everyday life.

Project Highlights

• custom chilli sauce product development
• creative campaign merchandise concept
• Fire Assist campaign branding and packaging
• printed fire safety information tags
• end-to-end sourcing and production managed by Splssh

The Outcome

The custom chilli sauce successfully turned Auto & General’s Fire Assist campaign into something people could physically engage with.

By linking the idea of heat and fire to a product people naturally enjoy, the campaign gained a memorable touchpoint that extended beyond traditional marketing materials.

The result was a creative promotional product that captured attention, sparked conversation and reinforced the Fire Assist message in a playful yet meaningful way.

What This Project Demonstrates

This project highlights Splssh’s ability to turn campaign ideas into creative merchandise solutions.

Capabilities showcased include:

• campaign-led product development
• bespoke branded merchandise creation
• custom packaging and printed collateral
• promotional product sourcing and production

By combining creative thinking with practical product design, Splssh helped Auto & General transform a safety campaign into a memorable brand experience.