The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
Calling all agencies: Share stories that move people in 2025 PRISM Awards
The Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) is calling on agencies across Southern Africa to step forward, showcase their work, and lead the way at the 2025 PRISMS Awards.- Because your work deserves the spotlight.
- Because your campaigns shape narratives, build brands, and drive real impact.
- Because entering isn’t just about winning, it’s about setting the standard for excellence and shaping the future of communication across Africa.
- Theme-driven categories celebrating authentic, purpose-led storytelling.
- ESG and sector-specific categories.
- A dedicated academic and student track.
- A regional hosting model, with Johannesburg confirmed as the 2025 host city.
The Creative Circle brings the Cannes buzz home at Full Circle events
AI were the letters on everyone’s lips at the Cannes Lions in June, and AI will be one of the hot topics at the Creative Circle’s Full Circle events in Johannesburg and Cape Town on 24 July and 30 July.
The Creative Circle has assembled a panel of South Africans who were among the judges at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a global event that celebrates and recognises excellence in the advertising and creative communications industries.
They will discuss the best of this year’s winning Cannes campaigns, trends and key learnings. Creative Circle chair Carl Willoughby says the events are aimed at creatives, marketers, business leaders, and anyone interested in best practices and effectiveness.
Willoughby says numerous presentations in Cannes showed that AI has moved beyond novelty value and experimentation into practical applications. “It is reshaping the ways brands create, distribute and measure creative content, while simultaneously raising important questions about authenticity and ethics.
Confirmed Johannesburg speakers for the event at 2 pm on Thursday 24 July at Vodacom World in Midrand are:
- Ann Nurock, trend spotter
- Xolisa Dyeshana, chief creative officer, Joe Public United, and Audio & Radio judge
- Kagiso Musi, managing director, Meta Media, and Out-of-Home judge
- Vaughan Croeser, vice president of marketing, South African Breweries, and Entertainment Lions for Sport judge
- Neo Mashigo, chief creative officer, M&C Saatchi Group South Africa, and Film judge
Confirmed Cape Town speakers for the two events at 9.30 am and 1 pm on Wednesday 30 July at Cine 12 Ster Kinekor at the V&A Waterfront are:
- Ann Nurock, trend spotter
- Carl Willoughby, chief creative officer, TBWA\Hunt Lascaris, and Direct judge
- Xolisa Dyeshana, chief creative officer, Joe Public United, and Audio & Radio judge
- Pete Case, CEO, Ogilvy South Africa, and Creative Strategy judge
- Neo Mashigo, chief creative officer, M&C Saatchi Group South Africa, and Film judge
Tickets for the 2025 Creative Circle Full Circle events are R395 (Joburg) and R390 (Cape Town). Book at Webtickets.
Flow named top digital/specialist agency in sub-Saharan Africa by the MMA SMARTIES Business Impact Index
Flow Communications has been listed as the leading digital/specialist agency in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the MMA SMARTIES Business Impact Index (BII) 2024.
The MMA SMARTIES BII recognises the best-of-the-best in marketing worldwide, ranking agencies, brands, advertisers and solution providers based on their business impact.
On the MMA SMARTIES website, agencies and their performance rating are displayed across various categories, including Digital/Specialist Agencies, Media Agencies, Solution Providers, Advertisers, Agency Networks and Brands.
Flow Communications proudly tops the chart with the highest score on the Top Digital/Specialist Agencies – Africa 2024 list.
“We’re delighted to have our work recognised on the SMARTIES index,” says Flow Communications CEO Tara Turkington. “Digital expertise, measurable results and impact are central to what we do, and we couldn’t achieve this level of success without the passion of our Flowstars. We do this for our incredible clients who trust our creativity, dedication and heart to make our mark on the continent, and the rest of the world.”
Developed in partnership with WARC, a global authority on advertising and media effectiveness, the index is informed by thousands of campaign submissions from across the globe.
APO Group wins Gold at 2025 SABRE Awards and secures five finalist placements
APO Group, the pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, has been recognised with top honours at the prestigious 2025 SABRE Awards Africa, winning gold for its pioneering World Unseen Experience at GITEX Africa campaign with Canon Central and North Africa.
The campaign showcased Canon’s innovative efforts to make photography accessible to people with visual impairments through tactile imagery, transforming the way art and visual storytelling are experienced.
APO Group was also shortlisted as a finalist in five other categories, reinforcing its position as the communications partner of choice for some of the continent’s most impactful and purpose-led organisations. The finalist placements include campaigns for:
- GITEX Africa 2024, Africa’s largest tech and startup show
- Africa’s Business Heroes 2023, a flagship philanthropic programme in Africa to support entrepreneurs;
- The Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI)
- Canon Central and North Africa’s 10 Years of Miraisha: A Decade of Empowerment campaign
“We are incredibly proud to see the impact of our clients’ campaigns being recognised at such a high level. Winning gold for Canon’s World Unseen is particularly meaningful as it demonstrates how communications can drive accessibility and inclusivity. Additionally, our finalist placements across such diverse categories reflect the strength, creativity, and dedication of our team, and our commitment to sharing Africa’s positive narratives,” said Bas Wijne, CEO at APO Group.
The SABRE Awards are globally recognised for celebrating superior achievement in branding, reputation, and engagement.
Machine wins 8 finalist spots across diverse categories at the 2025 Bookmark Awards
Machine has earned eight finalist spots at the 2025 IAB Bookmark Awards, demonstrating the breadth and depth of its creative and strategic capabilities.
With work shortlisted across a wide range of categories – from influencer marketing and internal platforms to digital activations and craft – Machine is showing up strong, and showing up everywhere. The recognition spans four major clients: Coty, PepsiCo, Sanlam, and Spotify Africa – proof of the agency’s borderless approach to creativity.
“Being recognised at the Bookmark Awards across multiple categories and clients is a true reflection of the strength of our client partnerships and the power of collaboration within our talented team,” says Robyn Campbell, managing director of Machine. “We’re incredibly proud of the work – and even prouder of the people behind it.”
Finalists work includes:
- Coty – Rimmel Beauty in Real Time
o Digital Installations & Activations Category
o Channel Innovations Category
o Craft – Strategy Category
- PepsiCo – SASKO The Taste of Freedom
o Influencer Marketing Category
- Sanlam – Sanlam Connect:
o Internal Business Platform Category
o Customer Publishing (Niche Appeal) Category
- Sanlam Internal – Group DigiMag (Client Whisperer Edition)
o Email Newsletters & Marketing Category
- Spotify Africa: Gaming (Nigeria)
o Social Communities Category
Jabulani Sigege, Group Executive Creative Director, adds: “At Machine, we always push to create work that earns attention and delivers impact. Seeing that work recognised by our industry peers – across multiple disciplines – reaffirms our belief in borderless ideas, well executed.”
Top global creative leaders form Art Directors Club Board
The One Club for Creativity announced 21 preeminent creative professionals from across a range of industries who have been named to serve on the newly established Art Directors Club Board.
Founded in 1920, the Art Directors Club is the world’s longest continuously running creative organisation to support and celebrate excellence in craft and innovation in all forms of advertising and design.
Home to the celebrated ADC Annual Awards, global Young Guns competition and more, ADC merged with The One Club in 2017 to form The One Club for Creativity, the world’s leading nonprofit organisation whose mission is to advance the global creative community.
The newly formed Art Directors Club Board, made up of some of the world’s most esteemed creative leaders, will look to engage and advance the creative community with a range of new and enhanced existing programming, and reassert ADC’s legacy and leadership role as the original creative organization for both design and advertising.
Leading the effort is Brian Collins, co-founder of COLLINS in San Francisco and New York, who has been appointed ADC President. He has served on The One Club for Creativity Board of Directors since 2017.
The international group of creative leaders — both highly accomplished veterans and emerging voices — who have joined forces on the new ADC Board are:
- Leandro Assis, Designer and Lettering Artist, Lebassis, Rio de Janeiro
- Aporva Baxi, Co-founder, Executive Creative Director, DixonBaxi, London
- Gail Bichler, Creative Director, The New York Times Magazine, New York
- Alex Center, Designer, Founder, CENTER, New York
- Kapono Chung, Founding Partner, Head of Design, Combo, New York
- Alan Dye, Vice President of Human Interface Design, Apple, San Francisco
- Mah Ferraz, Film Editor, Co-Founder, Church Edit, New York
- Karin Fong, Creative Director, Imaginary Forces, Los Angeles
- Verònica Fuerte, Founder, Creative Directress, Hey, Barcelona
- Rick Griffith, Former Denver Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, Public Art Policy Chair, and Founder, Partner, MATTER, Denver
- Steven Heller, Co-chair, MFA Design / Designer as Author and Entrepreneur, School of Visual Arts, New York
- Lauren Indovina, Director, Visual Artist, House of Indovina, Los Angeles
- Oliver Jeffers, Artist, Author, Activist, Oliver Jeffers Studio, Belfast
- Pablo Juncadella, Executive Creative Director, Mucho, Barcelona
- John Maeda, VP, Engineering, Head of Computational Design/AI Platform, Microsoft, Silicon Valley
- Debbie Millman, Writer, Designer, Educator, Artist, Brand Consultant, Host of Design Matters podcast, New York
- Diego Segura, Founder, Family Office, New York
- Resh Sidhu, Global Director, Snap AR Marketing & Branded Innovation, Snap, New York
- Marina Willer, Partner, Graphic Designer, Filmmaker, Pentagram, London
- Yoshihiro Yagi, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu, Tokyo
The Board’s agenda is to build a stronger creative community, establish a critical stand on creative excellence, and foster the next generation of creative leaders. Board members will also be encouraged to advance ADC in their local communities in ways that address creative excellence and other critical issues.
