TMO.live: The sixth annual MOST Awards was full of surprises as the best South African media agencies and owners were announced at a ceremony in Johannesburg on 4 September. Vizeum Cape Town won the Best Media Agency Award, and Times Media Group (TMG) walked away with the Best Media Owner Sales Team Award.
The Lamb award for companies who receive between 25 and 30 votes was presented to media owner Mxit, and media agency Mediaedge: CIA Johannesburg, both for the first time.
Vizeum Johannesburg was voted as the Specialist Media Agency Winner for the first time, and Vizeum Cape Town came out on top as the Full Service Media Agency Winner.
The media owner category winners featured newcomers and stalwarts. The SpaceStation was awarded the Digital Media Sales Team Winner for the fourth time; Primedia Broadcasting upped its game and was selected as the Radio Sales Team Winner for the first time; TMG kept up its exemplary performance as the Newspaper Sales Team Winner for the fourth time; Caxton Magazines reached the top of its game and was ranked as the Magazine Sales Team Winner for the first time; Continental Outdoor Media outplayed its competitors once again as the Out of Home Sales Team Winner for the fourth time; and DStv Media Sales regained its leading position as the Television/Cinema Sales Team Winner for the fourth time.
The Legend and Rising Star awards are presented to individuals for outstanding contribution to the media industry. Names are submitted by respondents to the survey. These names are then considered by a panel of previous winners using selected criteria. Panelist votes are added to those from respondents thus ensuring a thorough and rigorous process. The 2014 MOST Awards tightened up on criteria and the rules now specify that a person can only win the Legend and Rising Star awards once.
Harry Herber, director and former group CEO of The MediaShop, won the Media Agency Legend award, and Adelaide McKelvey, managing director of Continental Outdoor Media’s rest of Africa business, won the Media Owner Legend award. Wayne Bishop, managing director of PHD Network Johannesburg, won the Media Agency Rising Star award.
A special award that celebrates selfless contribution to the industry was presented to Paul Middleton, managing director of Ebony and Ivory. He won the Shepherd Award for his continued commitment to the media and advertising industry.
Here, CEO of Wag the Dog Publishers and founder of the MOST Awards, Sandra Gordon, interviews the winners.
Sponsored by DStv Media Sales.
