Awards Wrap: Ask Afrika icon brands revealed, TikTok Creator Awards finalists, inaugural Salesforce Award winners announced

The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.

The 2023/2024 Ask Afrika Icon Brands winners announced

The 2023/2024 Ask Afrika Icon Brands winners were announced at an insightful webinar hosted on 5 February 2024. Brands can rightly boast about the honour of achieving this coveted Ask Afrika Icon BrandsTM status.

“Not all brands reach Icon Brand status. Only 52 brands achieved this honour in 2023/2024. A further 50 brands were awarded platinum status, likely winners in future. Also, not all categories had Icon brands, as can be expected,” said Maria Petousis, executive: TGI and Benchmarks.

The Ask Afrika Icon BrandsTM are defined as brands that are loved and trusted by South Africans. The benchmark survey celebrates brands across 195 product categories, and thousands of brands across hundreds of product categories were included in the initial analysis. This contextualises the prestige of being recognised as an Icon Brand.

The TGI Survey, a strategic, syndicated Usage and Attitude survey, forms the basis which the Icon Brands results are sourced from. The survey is the largest of its kind in South Africa, covering 18 sectors, hundreds of product categories and thousands of brands included in the measurement. 24 760 consumers were surveyed representing 28 680 000 adult South African consumers, and the data was weighted using Statistics South Africa’s mid-year population estimates.

Celebrating Creativity in the Digital Age with The 2023 TikTok Top Creator Awards powered by Vodacom NXT LVL

TikTok, the groundbreaking short-form video platform, and Vodacom, South Africa’s leading mobile communication company, have joined forces to present the most captivating awards in the digital entertainment realm: the 2023 TikTok Top Creator Awards. These esteemed accolades not only honour the achievements of creators but also provide a glimpse into the future of media and entertainment in Africa. Through their collaboration, these esteemed organisations aim to shed light on the creative expression that builds the creative industry across Africa.

This is the second year of the eagerly awaited award ceremony, celebrating TikTok creators for their talent and creativity. During December 2023, TikTok fans were asked to vote for their favourite creators on TikTok, and winners were chosen by public vote and a TikTok judging panel, with one winner emerging from each category.

Set for February 9 at Vodaworld in Midrand, Johannesburg, this event is more than just an awards ceremony. It’s a tribute to the individuals shaping the cultural and digital landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa, setting new cultural trends and influencing social narratives.

Here are your nominees:

Sports creator of the year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Nezcatt (South Africa)
2. stoneavenuee (Nigeria)

Gaming creator of the year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. khalamanja_ (Nigeria)
2. _someothergirl (Kenya)
3. tacticalceza (Nigeria)

Entertainment creator of the year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Sachi_himes96 (South Africa)
2. Lifestory328 (Kenya)

Lifestyle and Education creator of the year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Foodstakenya (Kenya)
2. _iremide (Nigeria)
3. SiyaBunny (South Africa)

Trailblazer of the year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. OfficialKinuthia (Kenya)
2. @olaoflagos_ (Nigeria)

Africa Rising creator of the year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Afrolecia (Haircare South Africa)
2. Nairobidisclosure (Food Kenya)

Publisher of the Year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. PulseNigeria247 (Nigeria)
2. Startimeskenya (Kenya)
3. Foodiesofsa (South Africa)
4. WWTaste (South Africa)
5. PulseSports (Nigeria)
6. jointribe_gg (Nigeria)
7. Netflixnigeria (Nigeria)

Song of the Year in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Tyler ICU & Tumelo_za – Mnike (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA & Tyron Dee)
2. Inkabi Zezwe, Sjava & Big Zulu – Umbayimbayi
3. Uncle Waffles, Tony Duardo & Justin 99 – Yahyuppiyah(feat.Pcee, EeQue & Chley)
4. Guchi & Loud Behaviour – Notice Me
5. Pcee, S’gija Disciples & Zan’Ten – Kilimanjaro ( Feat. Justin 99, Mema_Percent & Mr JazziQ)
6. Khaid & Boy Spyce – Carry Me Go (Sped Up)
7. Khaid – Anabella (Sped Up)
8. Asake – Lonely At the Top
9. Spyro – Who is your guy?
10. Adekunle Gold & Zinoleesky – Party No Dey Stop
11. Jux & Diamond Platnumz – Enjoy
12. Jay Melody – Sawa
13. Platform TZ – Wivu
14. Alikiba – Mahaba
15. Bruce Africa – You

To celebrate this partnership, Vodacom NXT LVL has launched a ‘Buy and Get’ campaign where three NXT LVL customers will stand a chance to win double tickets to the TikTok Top Creator Awards powered by Vodacom.

Budget’s marketing team don’t Faf around – Loerie Grand Prix and Loeries Official Rankings

In October 2023, Budget Insurance was recognised with a Grand Prix, the most prestigious award of the annual Loerie Awards for its Bad Advice Happens to Good South Africans radio campaign. Recently, the team responsible for creating Grand Prix worthy work topped the marketing charts in the 2023 Loeries Official Rankings lists, an independent measure of who’s doing it the best in the industry, across Africa and the Middle East.

“Not many people get to hang out with the legendary Sello Maake KaNcube and Faf De Klerk and get recognised for it. Some call it work but I call it a dream come true.  This is just the fuel we need to shoot the lights out with our next campaign,” said Budget’s marketing manager, Nosipho Ngubane, who ranked second in the Rankings marketing manager category.

Budget’s brand manager, Siphumelele Sikakane, who ranked first in her category agreed: “Nothing trumps a Grand Prix but being acknowledged for the passion that went into making this incredible piece of work is the cherry-on-top.”

For Thendo Gededzha, Budget’s assistant brand manager who took the top spot in her category, the sky is the limit.  “This was my first opportunity as an assistant brand manager and being listed in the Rankings alongside my phenomenal colleagues is an honour and privilege.”

According to Mndeni Mncwango, Head of Marketing at Budget Insurance:  “I am so incredibly proud of team Budget.  The Good South African campaign has been a hit with consumers who appreciate faf-free insurance as well as Speedo-clad Faf De Klerk.”

Red & Yellow starts the year as Top Educational Institution by Loeries Rankings

The Red & Yellow Creative School of Business (Red & Yellow) has been named the Top Educational Institution in the 2023 Loeries Official Rankings – recognised as the best in Africa and the Middle East.

The Loeries Official Rankings are a valuable and independent measure of the most innovative work across the region in the brand communication space, and Red & Yellow is proud to be an official partner to this prestigious institution.

“For 30 years Red & Yellow has produced leading creative professionals who have gone on to lead fulfilling and successful careers. This has been made possible by our industry renowned lecturers who, year after year, teach practical skills that future-proof and empower our students,” says  Verusha Maharaj, Managing Director at Red & Yellow.

“We are exceptionally proud to be recognised as the number one school in the Top Education Institution 2023 rankings –  a testament to our continued commitment to our students.”

Red & Yellow’s placing on the list as the leading education provider in Africa and the Middle East reinforces the school’s success in offering internationally recognised, industry aligned, and globally competitive education offerings. As an official Loeries partner, the institution is committed to offering accredited degrees and qualifications delivered by award-winning lecturers and industry experts that are rooted in real-world experience.

Call potential Cannes Young Lions for 2024 

The hunt is on to track down the country’s leading young creative talent for an opportunity to showcase local excellence on the global stage. As the official South African representative for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Ster-Kinekor is once again sponsoring the Film category of the Young Lions 2024 competition.

To kickstart the process, the Cannes Young Lions organisers are inviting all potential Young Lions to attend an online Masterclass at 14:00 (12:00 GMT) on Monday 05 February 2024. This is a free Zoom webinar designed to help prospective competitors make the best of their creativity and set them on the path to the Palais. Yes, that’s the one in Cannes, France!

The theme is: “Empower your Creative Process, Conquer Fear and Thrive in Young Lions Competitions 2024’. The virtual Masterclass event consists of talks and a Q&A covering creative bravery, breaking norms, and future proofing your creative career. During the session, you’ll learn:

• What the Young Lions Competitions are
• How to thrive during your local competition
• What it takes to win a LION, from previous winners
• How to tackle the ever-changing creative world and navigate your career in creativity, and
• The next steps for anyone 30 and under interested in the Young Lions Competitions.

The Masterclass is free to any young creatives who are interested in attending it. If you cannot make the event on 05 February, the session will be recorded – you’ll be able to watch the recording back from 8 February.

You can also view the information and sign up links on the Cannes Young Lions website. The RSVP link can be accessed here.

Salesforce awards customer excellence in South Africa