The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media industry.
McDonald’s SA campaign wins MEA Creative Effectiveness Award
Through collaborative efforts with partner agencies, Idea Hive is thrilled to announce that their client McDonald’s South Africa, has been awarded the MEA Creative Effectiveness Award for 2021 for the McCafé Barista search campaign.
The McDonald’s MEA Creative Effectiveness Award is a McDonald’s MEA Region initiative showcasing creative and innovative communication strategies and platforms. They do this by recognising the most progressive and forward-thinking campaigns developed by markets and agencies in the MEA region.
Instead of recruiting the traditional way, McDonald’s SA opted to recruit Baristas in a more disruptive, digitally-led way, trailing a new recruitment portal as the recruitment mechanic. Not only did this campaign recruit new, skilled Baristas, but it also aimed to highlight the existing talent they had in their system, elevating the McCafé brand.
McDonald’s SA joined forces with other brands, such as the Sun International Hotel Group, which sponsored accommodation for free, and the International Hotel School as part of the judging panel.
Through this campaign, they trilled a new recruitment portal called Job Jack which is now being utilised permanently for internal recruitments. The simple entry mechanic directed potential entrants to enter via the Job Jack portal to enter the competition. The portal also assists in ensuring that all entries are captured.
They also launched a show called “McCafé Barista Search,” with the first episode announcing the top 20 and seeing the Baristas come in to deliver their full pitch and present their first and perfect cup of coffee.
Kfm 94.5 celebrates the Best of The Cape 2022
Kfm 94.5, the Western Cape’s biggest commercial radio station has announced that ‘The Kfm Best of the Cape Awards’ are back.
The campaign, which launched with massive success last year, celebrates The Best of the Best in the Cape across 30 categories. During the inaugural awards last year, small businesses around the province – impacted by the effects of Covid – received a much-needed economic boost thanks to the exposure created by this initiative.
This year, the people of the Cape can nominate their favourites across 30 categories from today until Friday 15 July.
The top 5 finalists in each category will be announced on Monday 25 July, after which public voting will commence until Wednesday 3 August. Winners will be announced in an all-day awards show on Kfm 94.5 from 6 am on Friday 12 August 2022.
According to Stephen Werner, Kfm station manager, “The Kfm Best of the Cape Awards is about people coming together to celebrate this beautiful place we call home – the best sights, tastes, experiences, businesses and communities that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. We were blown away by the outpour of support last year. We can’t wait to recognise and celebrate many more worthy winners in 2022.”
Last year’s ‘Best Date Night’ winner was Avontuur Estate Restaurant. According to Zunia, Melanie and the staff at the restaurant: “Winning meant increased exposure, increased visitors, more bookings, more phone calls, and the fact that we made it to 20 years without closing our doors. It has been an incredible boost to us and has helped us keep our staff employed and our doors open. Thank you again for this incredible initiative. You have done more for the hospitality industry and smaller businesses than you can ever know.”
Nominate your favourite business, experience, community group or venue on the Kfm 94.5 website – //kfm.co.za. Nominations are now open until Wednesday 3 August. Follow social media tags @KFMza and #KfmBestOfTheCape.
MOST Awards Webinar | Disconnect and miscommunication between client, agency and media
Is communication between client, agency and media helping or hurting your business?
The relationship between all three needs to be strong and healthy to survive the constant project deadlines, meetings and creative differences that arise throughout the working relationship. The stronger the relationship, the better the results.
Proper communication is crucial to maintaining any successful business relationship. It goes without saying that poor communication can lead to disappointment, failed projects, financial losses and, worse yet, loss of reputation.
Why is it that, in 2022, there is still so much miscommunication and subsequent disconnect, and how do we finally solve this decades-old dilemma?
Join the MOST Awards online, where our panel will debate why it is that in 2022 this is still an issue.
Why the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards matter
The Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards 2022 are a reminder of the important role that journalism plays in South Africa’s democracy.
Hosted by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) for the first time, the Awards honoured the best journalists and their stories at a live event at The Venue, Melrose Arch last Saturday.
While newspapers might be under pressure, the standard of local journalism is still high, as the winners of the Awards prove.
All the winning articles raised important issues in South Africa showing just why journalism is critically important to the country. The Awards themselves are significant as they set a benchmark for excellence in journalism, a profession that has been under attack and undermined worldwide.
SANEF office bearers, including Sbu Ngalwa, SANEF Chairperson, and sponsors Standard Bank’s representatives and Standard Bank CEO, Lungisa Fuzile, and various media stakeholders and journalists were all in attendance.
Ngalwa says that while the industry has been through a tough time over the past two years, with the industry affected by journalists losing their lives due to Covid-19 and a jobs bloodbath, exacerbated by various media titles closing, , the Awards show that South African journalism is thriving. “We are now seeing green shoots and can build.”
Fuzile says that the pandemic robbed the country of some of the best journalists in this country. He paid tribute to the industry. “You are a great service to our relatively young democracy. I will make a bold statement and say that without you our democracy would fail. Every one of you here in this room and watching online is a hero and heroine. We are eternally grateful to you and proud of what you have achieved over the past two years.”
At the Awards, veteran editor Anthony Heard was honoured with the Allan Kirkland Soga: Lifetime Achiever Award. Heard, who was a shining light in the dark days of Apartheid, gave the audience the thumbs up and shouted, “Never give up!” after receiving his award.
Heard says that now, more than ever the media is vulnerable and in need of patrons. “The media, and journalists, must be supported. The enlightened corporations and institutions know that. They need to invest in the media as it is an investment in their future.”
He says that journalists are not invincible but some of their actions can lead to major change. “Very few other institutions in society have that capacity.”
Daily Maverick’s Pieter-Louis Myburgh expressed surprise at winning Story of the Year for Digital Vibes. But says he is thrilled.
Myburgh also won the Investigative Journalism category for ‘’Digital Vibes’’, published by Daily Maverick, and is one of several journalists who won the Investigative Journalism category in 2018 for the collaborative body of work “Gupta Leaks”. He is also the author of the book: Gangster State (Penguin Random House).
He says the Sikuvile Awards give journalists a moment to bask a bit in the recognition of their work. “Because in between there are many challenging and difficult moments.”
Lifestyle category winner, Graham Wood, from Financial Mail says the Awards are important because journalism is under fire. “It is good for the industry to remind itself of its value from time to time.”
The Upcoming/ Rising Star of the Year was shared by Shonisani Tshikalange of the Sunday Times and TimesLIVE and Onke Ngcuka, Daily Maverick. Ngcuka, who was also a finalist in the Lifestyle category, says it is important for young people to enter the profession. “We need as many people as we can to hold our leaders accountable to the work they are supposed to be doing.”
The Awards also acknowledged the role of jury member Phindile Mary Xaba, who passed away shortly after the jury session.
This was the first live awards event in two years and the first awards since 2020.
