Excellent performance in creative communications campaigns that result in business success lies at the heart of the annual APEX Awards. This year was no different, with agencies and their clients honoured for the teamwork and collaboration that resulted in effective campaigns.
“The APEX awards affirms the credibility and the value of creative work. It is a statement to our credence as a business sector as it affirms our credibility and affirms our contribution to industry. This affirmation ensures that our sector of communications and advertising is maintained, sustained and grown into the future,” says Odette van der Haar, CEO of the Association of Communications and Advertising, which organises the awards.
DDB South Africa and their client, First National Bank, received top honours with a Grand Prix for their ‘FNB Switch – beating the beep out of beep bank campaign’. FoxP2 and their client Ster-Kinekor received were awarded a Gold APEX for their ‘Great moments at their greatest’ campaign. Another Gold APEX went to M&C Saatchi Abel and their client The Haven Night Shelter for their ‘The Haven Street Store’ campaign.
“We feel extremely privileged to applaud the finest creative minds in the business – an opportunity made possible as a result of the investment, generosity and support from APEX key partner SABC and sponsors Ads24, Anglo American, City Press, DStv Media Sales, Millward Brown, Rapport, The MediaShop and Sandton Convention Centre,” Van der Haar said.
This year’s awards spread across three categories:
1. Launch, sponsored by the SABC, for brand or services that are less than 12 months old with no significant history of advertising;
2. Change, sponsored by Ads24 for new campaigns from previously advertised brands that resulted in significant short-term effects on sales and/or behaviour (short term i.e. 18 months); and
3. Sustain, also sponsored by the SABC, for campaigns that benefited a business by maintaining or strengthening a brand over a long period, i.e. 36 months.
Nkwenkwe Nkomo, group chairman of FCB South Africa, long-term board member of the ACA, AAA School of Advertising, MAC Charter Council and Advertising Standards Authority chairperson was presented with an APEX as a token of sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for his commitment to the South African advertising profession.
“Mr Nkomo has retired and will always be remembered as the profession’s ‘Champion of Change’ because he was instrumental in putting in place the Marketing, Advertising and Communications Sector Charter for Transformation – more commonly known as the MAC SA Charter, promulgated under section 12 in August 2008 and set to be promulgated under section 9 and written into law,” the ACA said in a statement.
While the ‘old’ was honoured, the ‘new’ were given opportunities to succeed via the awarding of 17 bursaries. The ACA’s bursary programme is designed to attract the very best young talent, educating them and placing them in the working environment to gain the necessary experience under the guidance and mentorship of more experienced colleagues.
“With our partner, sponsors and contributors on APEX 2014, the ACA was once again been empowered to change the lives of deserving South African youths aspiring to enter the profession and bring credence to the business of advertising and communications,” Van der Haar said.
The awards were sponsored by the SABC, Ads24, Anglo American, City Press, DStv Media Sales, Millward Brown, Rapport, The Media Shop and Sandton Convention Centre.
And the winners are:
