The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media industry.
DStv proud of youth accolade in Gen Next Awards
DStv won big at the 16th annual Sunday Times Gen Next Awards. Beating out the likes of Netflix, YouTube and GooglePlay, the television platform received the award for Coolest TV-streaming/content channels/platforms at the 2020 event, held digitally for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are extremely honoured to have received this top accolade from those who make up a large segment of our viewers,” said Simon Camerer, chief customer officer at MultiChoice South Africa.
In addition to the platform’s win, DStv channels and shows also prevailed with WWE (DStv Channel 128) voted as the Coolest Entertainment Channel, Cartoon Network (DStv Channel 301) voted as the Coolest Kids TV Channel and local drama Lockdown (available on Showmax) voted as the Coolest TV Programme/Series.
“This win will prove a useful benchmark for the brand to maintain its favour as a role player in youth culture during and beyond this crucial period.”
Metro FM and Ukhozi FM scoop Coolest Radio Station awards
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is delighted that two of its radio brands, Metro FM and Ukhozi FM, scooped two awards for first and second place on the Coolest Radio Stations category at the Sunday Times Next Generation Awards.
Metro FM affirmed its position as the Coolest Radio Station in the country for the 8th year in a row. Both Metro FM and Ukhozi FM command the highest listenership in their respective station categories, with over four million listeners for Metro FM and seven million listeners for Ukhozi FM.
“SABC Radio stations which command a healthy audience share of 73.2% have remained relevant, widely accessible, and are a core platform for the Public Broadcaster to deliver on its public service mandate. We pride ourselves with talent that is constantly striving for excellence and delivering world-class radio,” said group executive for SABC Radio, Nada Wotshela. “This has positioned some of our radio brands as leaders in the highly competitive broadcasting landscape. We are thankful for the support and recognition we receive from our loyal listeners and industry players.”
Gen Next winners a key metric of pre-Covid youth preferences
Nike continued its winning streak with its sixth win in a row as the Overall Coolest Brand at the 16th annual Sunday Times Gen Next Awards. The winners were recognised during an online announcement on 21 August 2020. Winners across 71 categories were celebrated based on the outcome of research conducted by Yellowwood.
Eben Gewers, head of advertising sales and trade marketing at Arena Holdings – which owns Sunday Times Gen Next – believes this year’s results will be a key metric of pre-Covid youth preferences and attitudes towards brands.
“Covid-19 is undoubtedly going to have a dramatic effect on numerous areas of life in the short and long terms. Things are going to change and capturing a ‘before and after’ snapshot of youth brand preferences will provide huge benefit to the South African advertising and marketing industry about how priorities and perspectives may shift in the face of huge socio-economic upheaval,” he said.
The Sunday Times Gen Next survey has established itself as the leading barometer of what South African youths find on-trend and aspirational, and delivers insights that are valued by brand managers, advertising, and marketing professionals.
Read more here.
ViacomCBS Networks Africa’s lead communications agency, DNA Brand Architects, scoops international award
ViacomCBS Networks Africa’s lead communications agency, DNA Brand Architects, has scooped an international award at the prestigious 2020 edition of the IABC Gold Quills.
The agency won the highly coveted IABC Gold Quill Award of Merit in the category of Media Relations for their work on BET Africa’s first ever black excellence inspired biopic, Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story.
For more than 40 years, IABC’s Gold Quill Awards have recognised and awarded excellence in strategic communication worldwide.
This marks DNA Brand Architects’ third consecutive win in the Media Relations category having clinched gold previously in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Founder and Chief Architect of DNA Brand Architects, Sylvester Chauke, commented “ We are honoured to receive yet another Gold Quill Award and this time on behalf of our client ViacomCBS Networks Africa and the team at BET Africa for the Lebo Mathosa Story PR campaign. We have consistently won big in the media relations category over the past couple of years and this really speaks to the trust our client’s continue to place in us and the incredible work of our team of Allstars.”
Finalists announced for Santam Women of the Future Award in association with Fairlady and Truelove
The entrepreneurs who entered the 2020 Santam Women of the Future Awards in association with FAIRLADY and TRUELOVE have once again inspired with their entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to seeing their business ideas through, and the sheer resilience and determination they have shown during this unprecedented time.
The panel of judges presiding over the awards this year are Professor Thuli Madonsela (Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, and Founder of the Social Justice M-Plan and the Thuma Foundation); Dawn Nathan-Jones (Social Entrepreneur); Redi Tlhabi (Radio & TV Presenter, Author, Producer and Facilitator), Enid Lizamore (Executive Head of Human Resources at Santam); Suzy Brokensha (FAIRLADY Editor) and Mbali Soga (TRUELOVE Editor).
The women eligible for this award are 30 or older and have been in business for at least 1000 days. The finalists are:
- Catherine Clark of The Harvest Table, a health and nutrition business that specialises in supplements.
- Luella Naidoo of Jezriel Craig Holdings, which connects graduates who have a BSc or business degree with companies in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.
- Mmamontsheng Dulcy Rakumakoe of Quadcare Occupational Health, a network of medical centres in low- to middle-income communities.
Social Entrepreneur 2020
The women eligible for this award are 30 or older and their businesses/social enterprises have survived the first 1 000 days. Their ventures are making a difference in their communities. The finalists are:
- Carolyn Hancock of Angels Care, Thembelihle School and The DNA Project. Angels Care is a space to care for kids from extreme poverty in informal settlements, while the Thembelihle School provides multicultural education for children from Grade RRR to Grade 7. The DNA Project works on passing legislation to ensure that DNA evidence can legally be collected at crime scenes and from suspects.
- Maria Grewar of The ReTrade Project, a community-based recycling and social empowerment project. Through the exchange of recycled goods, community members can receive food, clothing and toiletries.
- Sue van der Linde of Iris House Children’s Hospice. The hospice cares for special needs children, and offers hospice-based and overnight respite care, parent support services, equine therapy and gardening workshops.
Rising Star 2020
These young go-getters are 30 and under, and have passed the six-month milestone. The finalists are:
- Boniswa Mayeza of Shesha, an app that allows people to request any emergency service and provides a precise location.
- Sibongile Mdlaka of KwaZulu Beverages, a company that produces a healthy energy drink that’s low in sugar and caffeine.
- Welile Gumede of Azowel Projects, which restores neglected and unused farming spaces in the Ilembe region for crop cultivation.
All South Africa’s journalists to be honoured with 2020 Nat Nakasa Award
In 2020, the prestigious Nat Nakasa Award will be bestowed on all South Africa’s journalists. In an unprecedented move, the South African National Editors’ Forum said the vital role journalists play in society should be commemorated.
A special documentary was commissioned to shine a light on the courageous work done by South African journalists on the frontlines in a time of great unease and continued stress due to the global pandemic. It will be screened on Saturday night when the Nat Nakasa Award announcement is scheduled to take place.
The documentary, funded by Sanlam, was filmed in recent months while the country still remained under national lockdown regulations.
“Set against the backdrop of a country plagued with corruption and economic inequality, the coronavirus lockdown and a world in crisis, SANEF set out to lift the veil and bring to life the heroes that stand behind the headlines as we honour the media with the 2020 Nat Nakasa Award,” said SANEF chairperson, Mahlatse Mahlase, in a press release.
Read more here.
