Being sustainable and relevant is a fine balancing act, especially in the rapidly changing media environment. The fact that the MOST Awards has successfully pioneered and owned this space bears testament to some unique attributes, says Mervyn Naidu. Here he unpacks the feelgood factor behind the awards.
Camaraderie – how awesome it is to observe the varied droves of media owners and agencies saunter into the venue. Initially each group huddles together but that is short lived. The vibrancy of the industry allows for an eclectic cross-pollination of people and ideas. On joining this industry some seven years ago, I was advised that this is a very small industry. I have found that to be true. As people migrate in their career development, relationships are built, trust cemented and growth achieved. The Most Awards celebrates not just the on the stage achievements, it unwittingly celebrates the groundswell of camaraderie that exists in the industry.
Fun – have you been to an awards ceremony and the only time people start having fun is at the after-party? That’s not the case with the Most Awards! Selling off an MD to raise funds, a compeer with a dry sense of humour and general chuckles culminating in gregarious laughter is the order of the day. Fun is not just an interesting component of the Awards, it is also indicative of the industry – media works hard and has fun proportionally. No wondered that people who join media, never seem to leave! A key component of job satisfaction has to do with enjoying what you do – the FUN aspect is key! Welcome to the Most Awards, you are not going to find any long faces here – then again, you may never know what the emcee is going to look like!
Honour and mutual respect – Each nominee per category is a deserving winner of the title. However, as we all are aware, there can only be one winner. With the announcement of the winner comes the applause, shouts and ululations from the entire audience – it is the thrill of being honoured by your harshest critics and business rivals in an environment of mutual respect.
Striving high – My observation of the Awards has been its ability to push the industry up. I often hear comments in the marketplace along the lines: “With an attitude like that he/she/that company does not stand a chance at the Most Awards”. This serves the intended purpose of raising the standard and, media agencies benefit from better service from media owners and media owners reap the reward of more receptive media agencies.
So we look forward to an ever evolving industry where the standard of excellence will continue to guide.
Mervyn Naidu is an account manager at mediamark. He is a SETA accredited trainer and conducts training on sales and presentation skills within mediamark and at the WITS Radio Academy.
