The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
SABC Radio portfolio triumphs with 25 wins at Telkom Radio Awards
The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) radio portfolio has reaffirmed its position as a cornerstone of information and entertainment.On Saturday, SABC radio stations collectively won an impressive 25 awards at the prestigious Telkom Radio Awards.
Lesedi FM emerged as the PBS Station of the Year, a significant achievement for the contemporary Sesotho radio station, which ranks among the top 10 in the country.
5FM secured seven awards, including wins for Afternoon Drive Show (The Roger Goode Show), Top 40 on 5, and Best Traffic Presenter (Yonaka Theledi). The station also triumphed in categories for promotions, stunts, and events, including The Greatest Radio Takeover – World Radio Day, while Yonaka Theledi and Jodell Tantij were recognised as Bright Star inductees.
The Eastern Cape Combo of Umhlobo Wenene FM and trufm added seven accolades to the tally. Umhlobo Wenene FM won awards for PBS Content Producer, PBS Station Imaging, and News and Actuality Show (Uphendlondaba). Meanwhile, trufm excelled in categories for Daytime Show (Lunchtime Shandies), Music Show (trufm Top 30), and Breakfast Show Presenter (Makosandile “Boyz” Mpunzi).
Nada Wotshela, SABC Group Executive for Radio, expressed pride in the portfolio’s achievements, stating: “SABC Radio is built on the principles of inclusivity and creating lasting memories. Our primary focus remains on delivering top-notch performance and ensuring our stations remain competitive in a dynamic media environment. These awards are a testament to the dedication and innovation of our cross-functional teams who work tirelessly to engage and grow our audiences.”
Primedia Broadcasting celebrates significant wins at 2024 SA Radio Awards
Primedia Broadcasting’s steadfast commitment to creativity, collaboration and innovation in the broadcasting sector has been recognised with an impressive tally of 10 prestigious Telkom Radio awards.
702 triumphantly claimed the coveted title ofCommercial Station of the Year, a significant achievement for talk radio that reflects a transition from 947’s category wins in 2022 and 2023.
The station also celebrated a remarkable victory with the Daytime Show Award for The Clement Manyathela Show, succeeding The Midday Report with Mandy Wiener, which claimed the honour in 2023. Additionally, the Breakfast Presenter Award has transitioned from 947’s Anele Mdoda, who held the title in 2023, to the charismatic Bongani Bingwa in 2024, underscoring the audiences interest in compelling current affairs.
947 continues to excel, securing the Breakfast Show Award for Anele and The Club, a show that deeply resonates with audiences through its lively, energic music and relatable discussions. In recognition to Primedia’s commitment to nurturing up and coming talent, Thato Moloto has been honoured as a Bright Star Inductee, marking an important milestone in his promising career.
EWN’s commitment to delivering trustworthy and honest journalism has once again been recognised with the Radio Documentary Award for Left for Dead, underscoring its integrity and dedication to quality reporting in an era increasingly plagued by misinformation. In a delightful turn of events, CapeTalk celebrated a well-deserved victory with the Weekend Show Award for Weekend Breakfast with Sara-Jayne Makwala King, showcasing the station’s ability to engage and entertain audiences with its vibrant weekend programming.
Kfm 94.5 continues to set a high standard in the industry, with the esteemed Carl Wastie winning the Afternoon Drive Presenter Award for the second consecutive year. Additionally, Kfm’s triumph in the Radio Innovation Award category underscores the station’s commitment to meeting the high expectations of an increasingly competitive market. This recognition, along with the Multi-Channel Promotion Award for the Kfm Best of the Cape campaign, highlights Kfm’s ability to engage creatively with audiences across multiple platforms, reinforcing its position as a leader in the sector.
Jonathan Procter, Group CEO of Primedia, said “This year’s awards are indicative of the rapidly changing nature of the radio industry and the need to innovate and iterate at pace. We have a brilliant radio team led by the extremely talented duopoly of Mzo Jojwana and Kelvin Storie who have succeeded in leading and inspiring a creative environment. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and to our peers in the industry who continue to raise the bar and keep us on our toes.”
Joe Public wins Large Agency and Transformation awards at 2024 AdFocus Awards
Joe Public once again claimed the spotlight with two prestigious awards at the 2024 AdFocus Awards.
The agency took home the coveted Large Agency of the Year Award and the Transformation Award for the second consecutive year. In addition, Joe Public’s long-standing client, Nedbank, saw its Group Executive of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Khensani Nobanda, honoured as the Industry Leader of the Year for an unprecedented second time.
Now in its 34th year, the AdFocus Awards has become the gold standard for South Africa’s ever-changing marketing and communications sector, continuously evolving to reflect the industry’s shifting priorities. These awards not only celebrate agencies and individuals for their creative and marketing expertise but also recognise their overall business acumen.
“These accolades are more than just awards – they represent the hard work, innovation, and collaboration that define Joe Public. It’s not just about winning, it’s about creating work that makes a real impact in the industry and drives meaningful change in our sector. We’re grateful for the opportunity to keep delivering growth through creativity with our people, clients, and partners,” commented Mpume Ngobese, co-managing director at Joe Public.
Magna Carta takes top honours at prestigious AdFocus Awards 2024
Magna Carta, a reputation management consultancy, took home the overall award for PR Agency of the Year at the much-anticipated AdFocus Awards 2024.This recognition underscores the agency’s exceptional contributions to the PR, comms and marketing industry.TikTok Ad Awards 2024: South African brands shine among regional winners
The inaugural TikTok Ad Awards 2024 ceremony took place in Dubai, at Upside, marking a significant first for the region. The event celebrated standout brands and agencies across the METAP region, encompassing North and South Africa, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan that are setting the standard for creative, high-performing campaigns on TikTok.
South African brands and agencies earned notable recognition, securing a significant share of the awards for their creative and innovative campaigns.
Here is the full list of winners and medallists from South Africa.
- Community Core Gold Winner: Hear ZA Hearing Challenge by Vodacom & VML: Raising awareness about hearing health through a fun & engaging branded challenge.
- It’s the Creative for me: Gold Winner: Feel the Fire by Chicken Licken & Joe Public: A creative challenge turning users into actors auditioning for a role in the brand’s next commercial.
- Bronze Medallist: The Lunch Bar Man by Lunch Bar & VML: Connecting with multiple generations of users through hyperlocal storytelling and humour.
- Sound On Please! Gold Winner: Hear ZA Hearing Challenge by Vodacom & VML: Raising awareness about hearing health through a fun & engaging branded challenge.
- Silver Medallist: Bedtime Stories by City Lodge & TBWA\ Hunt\Lascaris: Combining innovation and humour to build loyalty among business travellers.
- Bougie on a budget: Bronze Medallist: Reusable Ads by City Lodge & TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris: Encouraging South Africans to unwind and embrace the joy of a holiday through relatable and humorous short films.
“We are thrilled to witness the first-ever TikTok Ad Awards in the region evolve into a remarkable celebration of creativity and bespoke storytelling, and the impactful campaigns that have set new benchmarks,” – said Shadi Kandil, General Manager, Global Business Solutions, TikTok, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central and South Asia. “We received entries from a diverse range of brands and agencies, with content that created connections, tapped into wider trends and truly brought brands to life, while driving significant impact. Our heartfelt congratulations to the winners and medallists – we are excited to see the next wave of innovation and excellence from all of you.”
Check out the full list of winners here.
Ogilvy leads Assegai Awards with 46 wins across 10 Clients
Ogilvy South Africa was the most awarded agency at this year’s Assegai Awards with 46 awards: 12 Golds, 11 Silvers, 18 Bronzes and 5 Leaders, across 10 clients. This is the fifth year in a row that Ogilvy has led the Assegai Awards tables for effective direct marketing and these impressive wins span a diverse range of clients, including: KFC, Rugani, Ferrimed, Castle Lager, Cadbury, Carling Black Label, PEP, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Audi and Volkswagen.
In addition, the celebration included the recognition of Grant Macpherson, chief marketing officer of KFC SA, as the leading Direct Marketer of the Year, solidifying his status as a true trailblazer in the industry. In parallel, Ogilvy South Africa was also honoured with the Gold IAS Agency award, in recognition of its market positioning.
Demonstrating its wide range of market leading services, Ogilvy won across the categories of: Influencer Marketing, Customer Acquisition Campaigns, Data-Driven Insights, Integrated Strategy and Social Good – demonstrating its ability to deliver innovative, impactful, and results-driven marketing solutions. These wins reflect Ogilvy’s diverse range of expertise, showcasing our strength in driving success across various facets of marketing.
As one of the biggest winners of the evening, Arpan Sur, Senior Director, Marketing – Sub Saharan Africa at Mondelēz International added, “It’s been a fantastic way to end the year with a remarkable achievement for Cadbury Dairy Milk at the Assegai Awards in South Africa last week. We are deeply grateful to all our partners, for translating our purpose into award-winning executions that truly resonated with consumers. Here’s to continuing to make South Africa more generous!”
Gerety Awards Unveils the Grand Jury for 2025
Respected and influential leaders from the advertising and marketing industry are set to join the Grand Jury for the 2025 Gerety Awards.
“Gerety assembles an exceptional group of global judges to evaluate work from a powerful and unique perspective,” stated co-founder Lucía Ongay. “Our criteria is clear: we prioritize the originality of creative ideas and the excellence of their execution. We are eager to recognize the best campaigns out there and already curious to find out what the jury will be selecting.”
In 2025, the Gerety Awards will host judging sessions in 15 locations. The judges for the executive jury will be announced in the new year. More than 45 countries will be represented in the Gerety Awards jury in this edition.
Additionally, each executive jury session will select the Agency of the Year from their region within the entrants of the Agency of the year category.
The 2025 Gerety Awards will open for submissions and announce the full jury in January.
The Gerety 2025 Grand Jury Includes:
Anu Igoni, ECD & Partner Bob the Robot FINLAND
Nwakaego Boyo, Founder, Ex Producer & CEO Temple Productions NIGERIA
Paula Gaviria, Founder and CEO Marketing & Innovation COLOMBIA
Kelly Pon, CCO BBH CHINA
Hope Nardini, Global ECD Grey USA
Ute Poprawe, Non-Executive Chairwoman DDB Frankfurt GERMANY
Andrea Quaye, Marketing Director Heineken SOUTH AFRICA
Karen Ovseyevitz, President Latina America Porter Novelli MEXICO
Jin Yang, Creative Partner Leo Burnett TAIWAN
Tiffany Rolf, Chair & Global CCO RGA USA
Ioana Zamfir, CCO MRM ROMANIA
Menaka Menon, President & Managing Partner, Growth & Strategy DDB Mudra Group INDIA
Kavi Rajapaksha, CMO Sunshine Consumer Ltd SRI LANKA
Diana Triana, CCO DENTSU Creative COLOMBIA
Atiya Zaidi, CCO/CEO, BBDO PAKISTAN
Marilou Aubin, Partner & ECD lg2 CANADA
Stefania Siani, CEO & COO Serviceplan ITALY
Kristin Cohen, Global Head of Product DDB Worldwide USA
Anke Herbener, Founder & CEO Digital Changers GERMANY
Kopal Naithani, Founder/ Director Superfly Films INDIA
Tan Tze Kiat, CEO BBDO Asia CHINA
Cecilie Oberg, Senior Creative Accenture Song DENMARK
Nayla Tueni, CEO & Editor-in Chief, An-Nahar and Annahar Arabi at Annahar media group LEBANON
Luciana Olivares, CEO & Founder Boost Brand Accelerator PERU
Alina Mirzaeva, Founder and CEO Synthesis UZBEKISTAN
Carolina Carmona, Marketing Manager Falabella COLOMBIA
Lali Koehler, Global President, Craft Worldwide USA
Simone Tam, Group CEO Dentsu HONG KONG
Jolene Dsouza, Group Strategy Director Special Group NEW ZEALAND
Suzzane Zhang VP, MW Advisory, APAC & Head of Strategy McCann Worldgroup CHINA
SooHee Yang, CCO Publicis Groupe SOUTH KOREA
Gry Sætre, Founder & Executive Producer Tangrystan NORWAY
Vuyo Henda, Chief Marketing Officer Spur Corp SOUTH AFRICA
Jo-ann Robertson, CEO Global Markets Ketchum UK
Helena Henneveld, Luxury Senior Brand Manager Tequila| Northern Europe Diageo NETHERLANDS
Klaartje Galle, CCO VML BELGIUM
Waithera Kabiru, Africa Digital Hub – Lead Diageo KENYA
Elina Kettunen, Senior Creative / Copywriter N2 Creative FINLAND
Suzanne Powers, Founder & CEO Powers Creativity USA
Maria Lashari, Founder + Creative Director 1000WORLDS SWEDEN
Oriane (Abouattier) Canfrin, Head of Marketing and Communications Ecobank CÔTE D’IVOIRE
Yuliya Tushina, Managing Director, GForce Grey KAZAKHSTAN
Tammy Sheu, CEO BNBALOON TAIWAN
Maja Sand-Grimnitz, Member Board of Directors Asetek DENMARK
Rifah Qadri, Executive Director Marketing easypaisa PAKISTAN
Kimberly Paige, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer Paramount USA
Entrants are invited to discover more about the Grand Jury and download the 2025 entry kit at www.geretyawards.com
GenNext Awards Crown Doritos As South Africa’s Coolest Snack Brand
Doritos, the brand famously known for being for the Bold, has been crowned the coolest snack brand in South Africa at the 20th edition of the Sunday Times GenNext Awards. Since the inception of the awards, Doritos has consistently been recognised as the coolest snack brand by the Sunday Times GenNext awards and this year the brand returned to the number one spot.
Doritos has made significant advances in connecting with its consumers and shaping culture in the last year through meaningful collaborations, culture shifting conversations and innovations in flavour. Speaking on this milestone, brand manager Ntumi Kondile commented “This is such a huge honour, and we are thrilled to be recognised as the number one snack brand in the country. This is testament to the incredible step-change we have driven this year through our innovations in flavour, collaborations & campaigns that have brought us closer to our consumers. A big thank you to Sunday Times GenNext for the recognition.”
Telkom FutureMakers celebrates SA entrepreneurs at Transformation and Innovation Awards
Telkom SA SOC Limited hosted the second annual Telkom Transformation and Innovation Awards, presented by Telkom FutureMakers.
“The entrepreneurial spirit in South Africa is truly remarkable,” said Sello Mmakau, Group Chief Digital Officer at Telkom.”Through the Telkom Transformation and Innovation Awards, we aimed to highlight the incredible work being done by local startups and entrepreneurs who were driving positive change and shaping the future of our nation.”
For nearly 10 years, FutureMakers has been committed to empowering ICT social entrepreneurs by transforming their innovative digital ideas into commercially viable, scalable, and investable solutions that address social issues in their communities and broader markets.
The awards, under the theme Igniting Tech Innovation for a Shared Digital Future, featured three segments, each dedicated to honouring different facets of innovation and transformation within Telkom and its extended ecosystem.
Segment 1 SME Winners
- AI Innovation of the Year – Advannotech
- Ecommerce Innovation of the Year – Delivery Ka Speed
- EdTech Innovation of the Year – Mmapaseka Academy
- FinTech Innovation of the Year – Level Finance
- HealthTech Innovation of the Tear – Welo Health
- Most Jobs Created – Droppa
Segment 2 SME Winners
- Top Performer Award – Mafoko Global
- Resilience Award – Mzali App
Segment 3 Overall SME Winners
- Tech Woman of the year – NetCampus Group
- Tech for Good Award – Credipple
- Tech Trailblazer of the year – Khoitech
Segment 3 Ecosystem Partners
- 22 on Sloane
- APlus Consulting
- Geekulcha
- French Development Agency
- Uyandiswa Project Management Services
- JP Morgan
- IDF Capital
- IMIN
- Aions Creative Technology
- Absa Group Limited
- UK SA Tech Hub
- NEF
- Proudly South African
- Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct
- Embassy of Ireland
UP Triumphs at the 2024 MACE Excellence Awards
The Department of Institutional Advancement (DIA) and the Department of Enrolment and Student Administration (DESA), at the University of Pretoria (UP), achieved remarkable success at the 2024 Marketing, Advancement, and Communication in Education (MACE) Excellence Awards, securing an impressive 23 wins out of 41 entries.
Competing alongside South Africa’s top universities and higher education institutions, DIA showcased outstanding creativity and innovation in alumni relations, fundraising, marketing, and communications. The MACE Excellence Awards take place annually to recognise and celebrate excellence and the achievements of specialists and practitioners in marketing, advancement and communication in South Africa’s higher education sector. The awards have three divisions and 30 categories.
One of the DIA’s most notable achievements was winning a Platinum Award for their ground-breaking work on Re.Search Magazine 9: What If? Edition in the Digital: External Magazines and Newsletters category.
“This edition focused on emerging research that, while still in its early stages, holds great potential for the future,” said Re.Search Editor, Shakira Hoosain. “We approached it differently, framing each article around the question, ‘What if?’ — a fresh perspective that challenged our readers to consider what could be possible.”
The DIA team also earned a Gold Award for the ChooseUP Day direct campaign. This annual campaign, which kicks off the year, is designed to inspire prospective students from South Africa and around the world to follow in the footsteps of accomplished professionals, entrepreneurs, and pioneers by enrolling at UP.
Brenda Khumalo Shines as Double Finalist at Standard Bank Top Women Awards 2024
Brenda Khumalo, dounder and managing director of Lobengula Advertising, has been selected as a finalist in two prestigious categories of the Standard Bank Top Women Awards 2024: Top Women Young Achiever and Top Women Entrepreneur of the Year.
This recognition comes at a time when Khumalo has been intentional with her agency’s strategic growth marrying innovation and authentic storytelling for her clients in the advertising and marketing industry. Established during the height of the global pandemic in 2020, Khumalo’s agency has quickly made its mark with some notable accolades, embodying resilience and creativity in a competitive and evolving landscape.
“Being selected as a finalist in the Standard Bank Top Women Awards proves the hard work and agility of our team at Lobengula Advertising. I am humbled to stand among other trailblazers who are shaping South Africa’s future,” said Khumalo.
Brenda’s journey from her beginnings in KwaZulu-Natal to becoming one of the youngest black female managing directors in her field highlights her determination and innovative spirit. Lobengula Advertising reflects her vision of empowering women, with 70% black female ownership and a 67% female staff complement—transforming an industry still dominated by men.
